HWS

What HWS does

HWS (Hilfswerk-Siedlung GmbH) is a Berlin-based, church-owned residential housing company founded on June 13, 1952, that manages approximately 10,000 residential units across Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The company is owned by the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz (EKBO), Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz, Stiftung Kronenkreuz, and Evangelische Kirchengemeinde St. Nikolai, operating under a social-mission mandate that targets rents at roughly 30% of household net income and applies a Kopf-Raum-Regelung (room-to-person) allocation rule. HWS serves private tenants (singles, couples, families), seniors, students, and people with dementia through specialized Demenz-WG apartments, while also providing third-party property management (Gesch\u00e4ftsbesorgung) for ecclesiastical foundations including Stiftung Hospit\u00e4ler zum Heiligen Geist und St. Georg and Alexandra-Stiftung.

The company's product portfolio is anchored by a modern SAP-based ERP system with workflow architecture, integrated with a digital ticket system, an AI-assisted chatbot ('Hilfs-Bert') built with Bots4You GmbH, and the proprietary HWS Berlin App (iOS, Android, web) that serves as the exclusive tenant-acquisition and service channel. Additional products include a digital appointment booking tool, a digital tree cadastre covering approximately 6,000 trees in Berlin, and a proprietary 300-hectare forest (acquired 2009) that offsets roughly one-quarter of HWS's CO2 emissions. Construction activity centers on KfW-40 / KfW-55 energy-efficient new construction using serial modular methods, with the Bernau project (104 barrier-free apartments, completion H2 2028) representing the largest new development in 50 years.

HWS generates revenue through three streams: recurring residential rental income (primary), recurring third-party property management fees from ecclesiastical and institutional clients (managed services), and forestry services (professional services, partially subsidized). All business lines operate within Germany; the company is privately held (HRB 5011 B, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) with no venture capital, private equity, or public shareholders, and was rated Notenbankf\u00e4hig by Deutsche Bundesbank in 2023 with CrefoZert confirming highest liquidity and solvency standards. HWS benchmarks in the top third or as benchmark leader among BBU member companies on key financial metrics.

Name

HWS

Legal name

Hilfswerk-Siedlung GmbH

Website

https://hws-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HWS (Hilfswerk-Siedlung GmbH) is a church-owned Berlin-based housing company managing approximately 10,000 residential units in Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, offering affordable rental housing, specialized senior and dementia housing, and third-party property management for ecclesiastical foundations, with a digital ecosystem anchored by the HWS Berlin App and SAP ERP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Property Management

NAICS

Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236116), Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings (56179)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate / Executive Housing Management (BPAJAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homeowners Association (HOA) Management (BPAJAHAB), Housing Facilities Management (Repairs, Custodial & Grounds Liaison) (EDALACAE)

Keywords

• Residential property management
• Affordable housing services
• Third-party portfolio management
• Specialized care housing
• Ecclesiastical real estate

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Residential Rental Income: HWS generates primary revenue from renting approximately 10,000 residential units (apartments, row houses, retirement housing, student dormitories, dementia WGs) across Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rents are set at affordable, socially-oriented levels targeting cost burdens of approximately 30% of household net income.
2. Third-Party Property Management (Geschäftsbesorgung): HWS provides comprehensive property management services for ecclesiastical and institutional property owners including financial planning, reporting, leasing, maintenance, and facility management. Revenue is derived from management fees charged to institutional clients such as Stiftung Hospitäler zum Heiligen Geist und St. Georg, Alexandra-Stiftung, and church congregations.
3. Forestry and Forestry Services: HWS manages its own 300-hectare forest (acquired 2009) and provides forestry services to third-party forest owners in Brandenburg. Services include timber harvesting planning, woodland management, and wood product marketing, which are partially publicly subsidized.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HWS (Hilfswerk-Siedlung GmbH) is a Berlin-based evangelical housing company that manages approximately 10,000 residential units across Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, including apartments, row houses, senior housing, student dormitories, and dementia shared apartments. The company provides full third-party property management (Geschäftsbesorgung) and facility management for ecclesiastical institutions, foundations, and church congregations. Tenant and operational services are delivered through a proprietary digital ecosystem including the HWS Berlin App, AI chatbot 'Hilfs-Bert', and SAP ERP.

Product overview

HWS (Hilfswerk-Siedlung GmbH) is a housing management company managing approximately 10,000 residential units in Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The company offers a digital platform portfolio centered around the HWS Berlin App for tenant services, complemented by the AI-powered chatbot 'Hilfs-Bert' for automated customer support. Property management services include specialized dementia shared apartments (Demenz-WG), student housing (Theologisches Konvikt), compact apartment concepts for various life situations, and traditional residential property management. The company also operates forest management services and publishes annual sustainability reports. All tenant-facing services are accessible through the HWS Berlin App, while internal operations are managed via SAP ERP system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Rental Housing Rental of approximately 10,000 residential units including apartments, row houses, compact urban apartments, and barrier-free units across Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rents are set at affordable, socially-oriented levels targeting cost burdens of approximately 30% of household net income. Allocations use the Kopf-Raum-Regelung (room-to-person ratio). New construction projects in Bernau (104 barrier-free apartments, completion 2028) and Blankenfelde-Mahlow (row houses and KfW-40 multi-family buildings) are part of the active portfolio expansion.
• Demenz-WG (Dementia Shared Apartments) Specialized assisted living apartments for people with dementia, operated in dedicated Demenz-WG buildings including Ramsteinweg in Berlin-Zehlendorf (12 units of 23 m² with 173 m² communal area and garden) and Berlin-Karlshorst. Total rent ranges from 710–750 € per month. 24/7 on-site nursing care is provided by Diakoniestation Berlin (Evangelisches Diakonissenhaus Berlin Teltow Lehnin). Care contracts are arranged separately with the care provider.
• Student Housing (Theologisches Konvikt) Affordable student accommodation in central Berlin-Mitte (Borsigstraße 5) with 106 rooms housing approximately 100 students. Facility includes a student café and communal areas. HWS manages the building as hereditary leaseholder for the Evangelical Church EKBO.
• Third-Party Property Management (Geschäftsbesorgung) Full-service property management and facility management for ecclesiastical institutions, foundations, and church congregations. Services include financial planning, reporting, controlling, leasing, maintenance, and tenant relations. Named mandates include Stiftung Hospitäler zum Heiligen Geist und St. Georg (488 senior apartments) and Alexandra-Stiftung (approximately 1,000 apartments in Berlin and Brandenburg).

Quantifiable outcome

• Manages approximately 10,000 residential units
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Solid.Modulbau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026HWS partnered with Solid.Modulbau GmbH for the construction of a multi-family house at Buchenring 1 in Blankenfelde-Mahlow. The partnership enables serial modular construction with short construction times, high precision, and an energy-efficient building envelope. The project features a solar-electric energy concept with infrared panel heating, eliminating traditional water-based heating systems. 9 apartments, KfW-Efficiency House 40 standard.
• Vastbau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026HWS partnered with Vastbau GmbH as the general contractor for its largest new construction project in 50 years in Bernau. Vastbau, a German subsidiary of Dutch Vastbouw-Group with 30+ years of experience, is responsible for constructing 104 barrier-free apartments across 3 buildings (7,580 m²). The partnership emphasizes sustainable construction quality 'that lasts generations' with transparent and cooperative collaboration.
• KlimaHeroes (Initiative of Five Housing Companies)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024HWS participates in KlimaHeroes, an initiative of five housing companies focused on energy-saving smart thermostats. In 2024, smart thermostats were installed in over 80 pilot apartments. These automatically regulate heating performance based on need, reducing energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and increasing living comfort.
• Deutsche Reihenhaus AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021HWS commissioned Deutsche Reihenhaus AG to construct 26 standardized row houses in Blankenfelde-Mahlow, delivered turnkey. The partnership leverages serial construction advantages: pre-produced concrete walls and ceilings, standardized floor plans, KfW-55 energy standard. 21 houses: 120 m² 'Wohntraum'; 5 houses: 145 m² 'Familienglück'. Completed autumn 2022.
• B&L Gruppe HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021HWS collaborated with B&L Gruppe Hamburg on the Bachstraße residential quarter project in Berlin-Tiergarten. B&L Gruppe developed approximately 100 owner-occupied apartments alongside HWS's 69 barrier-free rental apartments on a former church-owned property. The project emphasizes social mixing with both freely financed apartments and subsidized housing (WBS).
• Housing First ZIK – Zuhause im KiezminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018HWS supports Housing First ZIK – Zuhause im Kiez, a project targeting chronically ill homeless persons. The project provides permanent housing without preconditions, addressing a vulnerable population in Berlin where over 531,000 people were registered as homeless in early 2024.
• Housing First QueerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018HWS supports Housing First Queer, targeting multiply discriminated queer homeless persons. This project addresses discrimination in the housing market faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Housing First für Frauen BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2018HWS supports Housing First für Frauen Berlin, targeting homeless women. This project recognizes the specific vulnerabilities and barriers women face in accessing stable housing.
• Diakoniestation Berlin (Evangelisches Diakonissenhaus Berlin Teltow Lehnin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakoniestation Berlin, part of Evangelisches Diakonissenhaus Berlin Teltow Lehnin, provides 24/7 on-site nursing care for the Demenz-WGs at Ramsteinweg and Karlshorst. As one of the largest diocesan service providers in Berlin and Brandenburg, Diakoniestation brings extensive dementia care experience. A presence worker is always on-site in the WG, and relatives are relieved of round-the-clock care duties while remaining key contacts.
• ProPotsdam GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHWS collaborated with ProPotsdam GmbH and other housing companies, with academic support from Regio Kontext, to develop a comprehensive position paper on housing area sufficiency (Wohnflächen-Suffizienz). The paper aims to create incentives for housing exchange and mobility programs to unlock unused housing stock and reduce rent burdens, based on voluntary participation principles.
• Stadtbienen e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHWS partnered with Stadtbienen e.V. (City Bees) to launch its bee project. The association provided a six-hour introductory course for ten HWS employees with a professional beekeeper. Since April 2020, up to three bee colonies have lived on HWS's courtyard at Kirchblick 13. The project has since expanded with five employees maintaining their own bee colonies.
• Thünen-Institut für Waldökosysteme (Thünen Institute for Forest Ecosystems)minorOthersHWS collaborated with the Thünen Institute for Forest Ecosystems to calculate the CO2 sink performance of the HWS forest. Calculations follow international guidelines for greenhouse gas inventory preparation under the UN Climate Framework Convention.
• Regio KontextminorOthersRegio Kontext provided academic/scientific support for the joint position paper on Wohnflächen-Suffizienz (housing area sufficiency) developed with ProPotsdam GmbH and other housing companies.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LEG Immobilien: Listed residential landlord focused on NRW and adjacent German states with ~166,000 units. Comparable on apartment rental operations, in-house property management, and digital tenant services — useful analogue for HWS's third-party management business.
• Deutsche Wohnen: Major Berlin-focused listed residential landlord managing ~150,000 units in Germany. Deutsche Wohnen is the closest comparable in terms of geographic concentration in Berlin and provides direct read-across on Mietendeckel exposure and Berlin rent regulation.

Broad incumbents

• Vonovia: Germany's largest listed residential landlord (~500,000 units) operating nationwide. While much larger and for-profit, Vonovia is HWS's most relevant comp on core residential rental business and provides benchmarking on rents, vacancy, and operational scale.
• ADO Properties: Berlin-focused residential landlord (~24,000 units) listed in Frankfurt until 2022 take-private. Provides a comparable public-market valuation reference for institutional quality Berlin residential stock similar to HWS's profile.

Regional players

• HOWOGE: Berlin municipal housing company managing ~78,000 units. HOWOGE competes head-to-head with HWS on affordable rental housing stock, dementia/specialty housing, and institutional real-estate services within Berlin.
• degewo: Berlin's largest municipal housing company with ~73,000 units. degewo is a direct regional competitor for affordable housing stock, ecclesiastical/institutional mandates, and new-construction pipeline opportunities in Berlin.
• WBM Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Berlin-Mitte: Berlin municipal housing company focused on the Mitte district where HWS manages the Theologisches Konvikt student housing. Direct regional competitor for institutional mandates and tenant allocation.
• GESOBAU: Berlin municipal housing company managing ~47,000 units. As a state-owned Berlin affordable housing operator, GESOBAU directly competes for institutional property-management mandates and tenant allocation in the same neighborhoods as HWS.
• ProPotsdam: Potsdam municipal housing company and direct collaboration partner via the Wohnflächen-Suffizienz position paper. Comparable in portfolio scale, social-mission orientation, and tenant-acquisition approach in Brandenburg adjacent to HWS.

Emerging players

• Wohnungsgenossenschaften (e.g., Berliner Bau- und Wohnungsgenossenschaft): Berlin housing cooperatives managing large member-owned residential portfolios. Operate under a similar social-mission ethos to HWS, offering a comparable model for non-profit-oriented, member-affordable rental housing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hilfswerk-siedlung-gmbh/?originalSubdomain=de

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HWS