Complex Public Rental Housing... Unified 'Integrated' Supply from 2022 Onwards

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The government has unveiled specific measures for integrating types of public rental housing as part of strengthening residential welfare.

On the 17th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will hold a 40-day legislative notice period from today until the 29th of next month for the amendment of the "Special Act on Public Housing Enforcement Decree," which includes provisions such as establishing a definition for "Integrated Public Rental Housing" to integrate the complex types of public rental housing in the mid to long term.

This amendment is a follow-up measure to the plan for integrating public rental housing types announced on the 20th of last month through the "Residential Welfare Roadmap 2.0." It contains content aimed at establishing an institutional foundation for promoting pilot district projects within this year.

The amendment defines Integrated Public Rental Housing as "public rental housing supplied with the support of funds from the state or local governments' finances or the Housing and Urban Fund, aimed at stabilizing housing for socially vulnerable groups such as recipients, near-poverty class, persons with disabilities, national merit recipients, low-income citizens, youth, and newlyweds." The mandatory rental period is set at 30 years, the same as the existing National and Happy Housing.

However, details such as eligibility criteria and rent standards were not included. A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official explained, "These details will be prepared in the first half of next year through research projects and public hearings."

The Ministry plans to select 610 households in Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town and 577 households in Namyangju Byeollae as pilot districts within this year to promote the project, and from 2022, all approved construction-type public rental housing will be supplied as integrated types. Existing stock will gradually apply the integrated model from next year through additional research.

Meanwhile, the amendment also includes improvements to the requirement of maintaining a non-homeowner status during the rental period of public rental housing. Tenants of public rental housing must maintain a non-homeowner status throughout the rental period.

However, there was an existing system that exceptionally recognized the non-homeowner status if the tenant inevitably acquired a house through inheritance, etc., to guarantee housing rights, but the house had to be disposed of within six months to be recognized as a non-homeowner. In cases where legal disputes arose during the inheritance process, it was difficult to dispose of the house within the period, resulting in cases where non-homeowner recognition was not granted. Going forward, if it can be objectively proven that disposal of the house is difficult due to lawsuits, etc., the calculation of the disposal period will be deferred until the reason ends.

In cases where a household member acquires a house to separate for marriage, previously, the household had to move out within 14 days to be recognized as a non-homeowner household. However, this also had a blind spot because immediate moving out was difficult if remodeling work was done before moving in or if the existing tenant’s rental period had not expired. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport decided to defer the calculation of the disposal period if the reason for not moving out can be objectively proven.

A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official said, "We plan to steadily proceed with follow-up schedules such as pilot district project approval and groundbreaking for the integration of public rental housing types," adding, "We will also continuously revise public rental housing-related regulations that are not suitable for reality."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.