Performance record 1.6.2 Ombudswoman Gertrude Brinek ��Moving topics” were investigated, processed and dealt with in an “emotional year”. This report bears evidence to that. From the field of regional and municipal administration, these included the areas of construction, housing, regional planning and zoning, traffic and general municipal matters. Many people expect their own personal domestic comfort from the residential construction boom. From the many complaints that are submitted to the AOB I learn about the associated wishes, plans and expectations but also the disappointments. It is evident that people are basically willing to make sacrifices with their dream home – affordable mansion at the edge of the forest (with access to the lake) with broad horizon and close slip road to the motorway cleverly concealed in green surroundings, low-cost infrastructure including free health and care facilities. And yet the ideal individual concept, which is often wasting space and expensive for the general public, seems to remain in peoples’ minds. All experts warn about the single-family house in the countryside, and yet it is still built and supported. What is built less and receives less support and above all what young people urgently need are affordable, i.e. smaller, apartments. This applies to many cities and municipalities, which use size (and cost) ratios in their standards which interested persons and families often experience as unreasonable on the whole. In many cases, the cost has to be borne by state aid. The presumed social advancement in the form of more housing space manifests itself as a financial burden for the individuals, the Federal Government and the Laender. Residential construction - between wish and reality We were able to gain essential insights into this topic and draw important conclusions at a symposium of the AOB. Demands associated with barrier-free accessibility and the fair treatment of persons with disabilities also pose a challenge. The legal obligation (and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) must be fulfilled in public and private construction. The implementation is far from being on track, as the results of our investigations indicate. Population growth and unplanned migration are making the creation of housing space even more urgent. To this end, the building regulations were “lowered” in all Laender in order to create housing space faster, i.e. regulations and standards were suspended, in many cases including those which guaranteed neighbours legal security. The consequences will have to be closely observed in the next few years. As Ombudswoman, I also see possible control opportunities in the financial equalization scheme and the residential concepts of the Laender defined there. Rapid creation of housing space brings less legal security 31