Vienna moves council-housing allocation to a published bonus-points system

From 22 September 2026, Vienna allocates council and subsidised flats under a bonus-points system. The Vienna Landtag approved the legal basis, and pre-registration opened in July. Applicants who meet the general criteria receive a housing ticket, and combinable points set their ranking. Domestic violence earns 100 points. A chronic mobility impairment, or home care from care level 3, earns up to 100. Single parents and people facing the loss of their home receive up to 80. At least six years of continuous main residence in Vienna earns up to 45, as does a long wait.

Many social-housing systems ration scarce stock through queues or broad priority bands. Vienna publishes the full schedule and lets needs stack, so applicants can see why they rank where they do. The weights put local ties below acute need. The open question is whether more transparent rationing improves outcomes when allocation rules alone add no homes.