Nervous State returns, with the first of our two-part special on the housing crisis.

The housing crisis affects all strands of society but it proves a serious challenge for third level students this year. Many students deferred their place to this September meaning admission numbers are higher than usual and, as students return to campus after a year and a half,  finding a place to stay is more difficult than ever.

This mess impacts both Irish and international students – Caitriona Devery talked to Rachel McCartney of Waterford IT Student’s Union about how bad it’s gotten outside Dublin, and Martin Leen talked to Lazslo Molfinari about how the crisis is affecting international students.

The term "vulture fund" is often associated with the housing crisis, but what does it actually mean and how have these funds changed the economics of the housing landscape in Ireland? Patrick McCusker caught up with Thomas Varghese, who is facing eviction from his home in Lucan, to talk about his experiences. He'll also be talking to Enda McHugh, Membership Officer for Community Action Tenants Union, and Michael Byrne, Lecturer at UCD's School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice to talk about how Ireland has become especially attractive to vulture funds, and their lasting impact on Ireland’s housing market.

Some inspiring housing news comes out of Germany in the wake of their recent election. On 26 September, voters in Berlin were faced with an historic referendum aimed at addressing the city’s housing crisis. In a city where more than 80 percent of people are renters, the local crisis is sometimes known by the term “rent madness,” or Mietenwahnsinn. The referendum was the latest high-point of the Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen and Co. campaign, formed to force large corporate landlords to sell their portfolios to the government. The referendum passed with around 59 percent of voters backing the measure to expropriate corporate owned private property in the interest of the public good. Nervous State spoke with a housing activist based in Berlin, to learn more about this campaign’s historic victory, the political and social context of Berlin’s housing movement, and the complex, uncertain future of the referendum result.

Bígí linn!

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