Stop 'Gentrification'... Daegu City Councilor Kim Jiman Proposes Ordinance to Revitalize Local Commercial Districts

Kim Ji-man, a member of the Daegu Metropolitan Council (People Power Party, Buk-gu 2), announced on the 30th that he has taken the lead in proposing the "Ordinance on the Coexistence and Revitalization of Local Commercial Districts in Daegu Metropolitan City" at the 306th extraordinary session to prevent gentrification of local commercial districts and to revitalize distinctive local commercial areas.

Gentrification refers to the phenomenon where original residents are displaced as outsiders move in.

Assemblyman Kim stated, “Local commercial districts are important hubs where various economic actors gather to perform economic, social, and cultural functions. However, with the rapid changes in the urban environment recently, local commercial districts such as Kim Gwang-seok-gil are experiencing a vicious cycle of rising rents, the entry of large franchises, weakening of local characteristics, and commercial district decline. It is urgent to prepare measures to prevent gentrification and to revive attractive local commercial districts.”

Daegu City Council Member Kim Jiman

The "Ordinance on the Coexistence and Revitalization of Local Commercial Districts in Daegu Metropolitan City," which passed the Daegu Metropolitan Council’s standing committee review, is scheduled to be approved at the plenary session on February 2.

The government has also been enacting and implementing the "Act on the Coexistence and Revitalization of Local Commercial Districts" in response to the increasing risk of regional extinction due to a declining working population and migration to the metropolitan area, as well as the decline of existing commercial districts and worsening regional imbalance caused by new town development and relocation of major facilities. It has boldly delegated authority over related projects to local governments to enhance their autonomy and accountability.

Once this ordinance is passed, Daegu City will be required to establish a basic plan for revitalizing local commercial districts and set up a Local Commercial District Committee to deliberate on matters such as designation, modification, and cancellation of revitalization zones.

Furthermore, if designated as a revitalization zone (referring to local coexistence zones and autonomous commercial zones), special provisions regarding the installation of auxiliary parking lots will apply, relaxing installation standards to one parking space per 300㎡ of facility area. Registration as an Onnuri gift certificate merchant will also be possible within autonomous commercial zones. In addition, various supports such as modernization projects for commercial facilities and promotion of sales channels will be provided.

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