Former Swiss National Councillor and Homeowners Association head Hans Egloff dies at 66
Hans Egloff, a former Swiss People's Party lawmaker in the National Council who led the Homeowners Association for decades, died unexpectedly on Monday.
Unexpected passing in Zurich
Hans Egloff, a former member of the Swiss National Council representing the Swiss People's Party (SVP) and the longtime president of the Homeowners Association, died unexpectedly on Monday at the age of 66. The Homeowners Association (HEV) announced his death on Monday afternoon, noting the loss of a prominent voice for property owners across Switzerland. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Egloff worked across local, cantonal, and national institutions. He originally trained and worked as a primary school teacher before studying jurisprudence, qualifying as an attorney, and practicing law for several years.
SVP National Councillor Gregor Rutz, who serves as vice president of the Zurich cantonal association, paid tribute to Egloff following the announcement.
The Homeowners Association mourns.
Parliamentary career in Zurich and Bern
Egloff entered parliamentary politics at the cantonal level in 1995, representing the SVP in the Zurich Cantonal Council (Kantonsrat) until 2011. From his first year in the cantonal legislature, he placed the representation of property owners at the center of his parliamentary activity. In 2011, he secured election to the National Council (Nationalrat) in Bern, where he served two legislative terms until 2019. In parliament, Egloff adopted a quiet style of politics, preferring to build networks and forge compromises behind the scenes rather than engaging in public polemics. Following the conclusion of legislative sessions in Bern, he regularly hosted review events in local inns throughout the Limmat Valley to discuss federal debates with his constituents.
- Elected to the Zurich Cantonal Council representing the SVP
- Joins the board of the Homeowners Association Canton Zurich
- Elected president of the Homeowners Association Canton Zurich
- Elected to the Swiss National Council representing Zurich
- Elected president of the national Homeowners Association HEV Schweiz
- Steps down from the Swiss National Council after eight years
- Concludes twelve-year presidency of HEV Schweiz
- Dies unexpectedly at age 66 while serving as Zurich HEV president
Three decades leading property owners
In parallel with his political mandates, Egloff dedicated more than twenty-five years to the leadership of property owner associations. He joined the executive board of the Homeowners Association of the Canton of Zurich in 1997 and was elected its cantonal president in 1999, an office he held continuously until his death. In 2012, Egloff took over the presidency of the national Homeowners Association (HEV Schweiz), leading the federal organization for twelve years until stepping down in 2024. During these decades, he remained central to Swiss debates regarding property rights, tenancy regulations, and residential housing policy.
Key legislative battles and local projects
Among his legislative achievements in Zurich was the abolition of the inheritance tax for direct descendants. On the federal stage, he persistently campaigned for the abolition of the imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) and for state support for private homeownership. Even while serving in the federal parliament, he advocated for regional infrastructure in the Limmat Valley, securing support for local road expansions and additional S-Bahn railway stations. Before his death, Egloff was actively leading the signature campaign for the Wohneigentums-Initiative, a cantonal ballot measure demanding that the Canton of Zurich support homeownership in equal measure to rental housing.
