In spring 2016, the German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development launched together with other associations the „ifs Institute for Residential Property“. It continues the tradition of the "ifs - Institute for Urban Development, Housing Industry and Building Society Savings", which had been shut down in winter 2015. With the new institute, DV created an extra platform for discussions dealing with residential property. This includes fundamental and current issues of urban development, housing and real estate, financing of residential buildings as well as regulations for planning, construction, land and taxes. Furthermore, DV wants to raise awarenes for the importance of residentail property for society, housing and urban development. Another aim is to work towards favourable conditions for ownership.

Tasks of the ifs Institute for Residential Property

• Working Group „ifs Residential Property“
  Working group.
• Forum on Housing Policy
  Annual event.
• „ifs Hausbau Informationen“
  Online newsletter, being published every two months.

Oda Scheibelhuber chairs the institute and the working group. Until 2014, she was the head of the department for urban and spatial development and housing in the Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development.

Further associations support the work of the ifs Institute Residential Property: Verband der privaten Bausparkassen, Haus und Grund Deutschland, IVD – Immobilienverband Deutschland, Bundesgeschäftsstelle der Landesbausparkassen and Verband Privater Bauherren. Further associations and enterprises, especially building societes (Bausparkassen) give financial support.