Munich outraged: Sale of the criminal justice center endangers living space!

Munich outraged: Sale of the criminal justice center endangers living space!

Things are simmering in Munich: the sale of the old criminal justice center on Nymphenburger Straße is causing a lot of excitement. The Free State of Bavaria has announced that it will sell the property to private investors, and that is anything but well received by many citizens. Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) sharply criticized the sale and warned of the possible negative consequences for the housing market in Maxvorstadt. In an open letter he calls on Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) to immediately stop the sales plans. If you look closely at the situation, it becomes obvious that there is a lot at stake here.

In response to the announcement of the sale, the Münchner Forum e.V. association launched a petition entitled “Living space instead of returns – stop the sale of the justice center!” The association's goal is to prevent sales and instead advocate for the creation of affordable housing. “The criminal justice center will soon no longer be needed as the judicial authorities are moving to a new building on Leonrodplatz,” the petition says. The property is therefore facing a transformation and the demand for new living space is extremely current.

Initiatives and discussions are the focus

The initiative has already received support from various civil society groups, initiatives and local politicians. Discussions have been held with the Bavarian Ministry of Construction and a feasibility study on the future use of the area has been requested. However, there is a small catch: the study remains under wraps so far, and the recently announced sales plans have drowned out everything.

The petition was launched on August 25, 2025 and has so far collected 505 signatures. The signature collection ends on October 6, 2025, and the interest in the campaign shows how important the issue of housing is to Munich residents. The association also receives political support from organizations such as the Munich Tenants' Association, Green City e.V., the Alliance for Open Spaces and the Association of German Architects (BDA).

Increasing need for living space

The Munich Forum's initiative aims not only to stop the sale of the justice center, but also to find a fundamental solution to the city's housing problem. There are calls for the introduction of a discount guideline in Bavarian budget law to enable real estate to be sold to private investors at more affordable prices if this creates affordable housing. Private investments in the residential segment are more in demand than ever: in 2023 they reached a record level of 2.6 billion euros - a significant increase compared to previous years.

But time is running out. The planned round table in October 2025 could soon become irrelevant if the sale actually goes through. In his letter to Söder, Mayor Reiter underlined the urgency of the situation and appealed to the Prime Minister to reconsider his decision. The next time will show whether the voices of citizens can be heard.