On March 11, 2012, 50.4 per cent of Swiss voters agreed that “in every commune where at least 20 per cent of homes are second homes, no more second homes may be built”.
This has affected some 500 communes, where around 2,500 second homes were built per year between 2000 and 2010.
The Law
The initiative “to end the invasive construction of secondary residences”, launched by the group Helvetia Nostra, proposed that the constitution be modified to ensure that secondary residences do not account for more than 20% of residential areas or of the total surface area of each commune.
Second homes
There are approximately 500,000 second homes in Switzerland. Canton Valais has the most with 62,000 occasionally occupied properties, followed by Graubünden (48,000), Bern (45,000) and Vaud (43,000).
The cantons with the highest proportion of holiday homes are Graubünden (37%), Valais (36%), Ticino (24%) and Obwalden (22%).
Most second homes in tourist regions are not commercially operated and are occupied on average 30 to 40 days per year.
(Source: Federal Office for Spatial Development)
The cantons with the highest proportion of holiday homes are Graubünden (37%), Valais (36%), Ticino (24%) and Obwalden (22%).
Most second homes in tourist regions are not commercially operated and are occupied on average 30 to 40 days per year.
(Source: Federal Office for Spatial Development)
