Specialist office for housing preservation and housing security presents successful half-year results
12.03.2025 – The city of Offenbach has set up a specialist center for housing preservation and housing security for people affected by homelessness, housing shortages or the threat of losing their home. Since July 1, 2024, those seeking advice have been receiving free and, above all, prompt advice from the FIP Frankfurt Private Institute for Mental Health (FIP).
"Rent debts, bureaucratic overload, but also conflicts with landlords are frequent reasons for people to turn to the specialist advice center," explains Mayor Sabine Groß, who is also responsible for the housing office. "I am pleased that we can support those seeking advice with their questions about keeping their home. The positive results after just six months confirm the necessity of setting up such an advice center."
The FIP has presented its results for 2024. According to the 2024 annual report, 98 people (as of 19.12.2024) have already received advice from the specialist center since the day it opened. In some cases, the problem was solved within the first consultation. In other cases, the initial consultation has developed into an ongoing, professionally supported consultation process. At 39%, the majority of inquiries related to support in finding accommodation. In 20 percent of the cases requested, the specialist advice center was consulted when the tenant had already been given notice to quit and in 9 percent when an eviction action had been filed. Not to be neglected are a further 15 percent of inquiries for support in dealing with conflicts, particularly with landlords. 11 percent sought advice on rent debts and 6 percent on financial support options.
Case studies
Some case studies reflect the individual progress already achieved and the success of the specialist unit's work:
For example, the successful support of a single mother was a ray of hope in difficult times. Due to a massive mold infestation in the apartment caused by water damage, a joint agreement was reached with the property management after intensive negotiations and the conflicts were resolved. The small family was also offered a new apartment.
The support provided by the specialist unit also offers older people in particular a special sense of security when it comes to rental issues. For example, a pensioner who has lived in his apartment for 45 years contacted the specialist center due to uncertainty about a change of ownership and his rent payments. Worried about being given notice, he did not dare to call the property management company on his own. After a joint call with the specialist office, all uncertainties were resolved.
Comprehensive support throughout the entire process was also provided, for example, to a couple who had fallen into rent arrears due to illness and job loss. The specialist unit worked with the couple to fight for their home and provided support in areas such as applying for a loan and a certificate of eligibility for housing, making contact with all the people and institutions involved in the process and providing legal advice.
"The high number of inquiries in the first six months proves that the specialist office for housing preservation and housing security has already successfully networked, established itself and made itself known in the help system of the city of Offenbach in a very short space of time," sums up Sabine Groß. "The continuously increasing number of inquiries and positive feedback show that the specialist unit is not only perceived as a contact point for acute housing problems, but also as a preventative advice center in the event of imminent loss of housing and thus makes an indispensable contribution to social stability and quality of life in Offenbach. I am very pleased about this and I would like to thank the staff at the specialist center for their support," concluded the mayor.
Further information and contact
The FIP advice and office rooms are centrally located on Marktplatz at Ziegelstraße 8. The specialist center can be reached by telephone on 069 3486760 - 71.
Open office hours are Mondays from 9 am to 12 noon, Thursdays from 2 pm to 5 pm and Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm. Individual appointments are also possible.
E-mail: wwohnenfip-teilhabedeip-teilhabe.de
Instagram: @fip-institute