Zurich’s city council has granted the youth housing foundation Stiftung Jugendwohnhilfe (JUWO) interest-free loans totalling 10.5 million francs from the “Jugendwohnkredit 2025”. The money makes 163 housing places for young people in training cheaper. The city plans for one third of rental flats in Zurich to be non-profit by 2050, and this credit is one of its tools.
What was decided
JUWO receives 7 million francs for the estate at Herdernstrasse 56 and 3.5 million francs for the estate at Oerlikonerstrasse 75. The loans come from a new framework credit with a total volume of 40 million francs, which voters approved on 14 June 2026.
The two projects
| Herdernstrasse 56 | Oerlikonerstrasse 75 | |
|---|---|---|
| Loan | 7 million francs | 3.5 million francs |
| Construction cost | about 17.1 million francs | about 11.8 million francs |
| Places | 95 flats for shared living | 68 places (previously 34) |
| Rent reduction | about 11% | about 11% |
The Herdernstrasse estate, at the junction of Herdern- and Bullingerstrasse in the Hard district, stands on city-owned land held under a building right. New wings were added on both sides of the listed corner building. The 95 flats for shared living, with common rooms, have been occupied since 2024.
The building in Zürich-Oerlikon is currently being renewed, extended and upgraded to the Minergie-P energy standard. This doubles the space from 34 to 68 places for shared flats. Together with an existing interest-free loan, the new loan lowers rents by about 11 per cent.
Conditions for the money
Loans from the youth housing credit are interest-free and do not have to be repaid if they are used for their purpose for 50 years. The flats may only be let to people who are in training and not yet 30 years old. The city checks the use of the funds through random samples. The city’s office for non-profit housing acts as contact, coordination and control point for non-profit housing providers.
The wider plan
The credit helps the city, together with other non-profit housing providers, reach the one-third target by 2050. In a separate decision, the city is buying a site in the Seebach district with 12 apartment buildings and 64 flats for 78.22 million francs. That purchase is also intended as a contribution to the one-third target.