Seoul City to Establish 'Housing Safety Comprehensive Centers' in All Districts for Home Repairs and Youth Monthly Rent Support

by Kim Minyoung

Published 25 Apr.2022 14:14(KST)

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is visiting Hagye 5 Complex in Nowon-gu, Seoul on the 18th to receive an explanation about the 'Seoul-type High-Quality Rental Housing Project.' Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Opening Ceremony of the ‘No. 1’ Yongsan Housing Safety Comprehensive Center… Four Districts to Open This Year

Comprehensive Housing Welfare Services

Maintenance and Repairs for Small-Scale Rental Housing, Shortened Defect Repair Periods

Housing Management for Single-Person Households Expanded to Over 2,000 Units

Emergency Housing for Up to One Year for Those Who Lose Their Homes Due to Fire, etc.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will establish 'Housing Safety Comprehensive Centers' in all districts by 2024, where single-person households can receive all housing welfare-related services?from home repairs to youth monthly rent applications?in a one-stop manner.

On the 25th, Mayor Oh Se-hoon held the opening ceremony of the ‘No. 1’ Yongsan Housing Safety Comprehensive Center and announced that the center will serve as a focal point to secure a dense housing safety net and dramatically improve housing welfare services and convenience.

Starting with Yongsan-gu on this day, Seoul plans to open centers in Gangdong, Yangcheon, Dongdaemun, and other districts within the year, and complete installation in all districts sequentially by 2024, establishing a system of one Housing Safety Comprehensive Center per district. The goal is to create a ‘housing safety city’ where all citizens facing housing difficulties are protected and no one is pushed to the brink due to housing problems.

The city will provide housing management services such as waste separation and facility maintenance for small-scale rental housing with fewer than 300 households, which are not legally required to be managed, starting this year through the Housing Safety Comprehensive Centers. These centers will consolidate various housing welfare services that were previously scattered across multiple locations. From consultation to application, support, and management, all services will be provided in one place. The services target not only rental housing residents but also all Seoul citizens including single-person households, seniors, youth, and newlyweds.

The defect repair period for rental housing will be drastically shortened to as fast as within three days, and temporary housing will be provided if construction takes longer. The ‘single-person household housing management service,’ which has been well received, will expand its support target to 2,000 households this year, more than doubling the previous number.

The ‘housing upgrade project,’ which provides rental housing to vulnerable citizens living in ‘non-homes’ such as jjokbang (tiny rooms) and gosiwon (small dormitory rooms), will expand from 11 districts last year to all districts in the second half of this year. For citizens who suddenly lose their homes due to fire or other reasons, ‘emergency temporary housing’ will be secured with at least five units per district this year, allowing residence for up to one year. Education will also be provided to help first-time renters such as university students and newlyweds understand difficult real estate contracts and financial terms.

Through the ‘Housing Safety Comprehensive Centers,’ Seoul will expand and strengthen ‘housing management services’ such as rental housing operation and defect repairs, as well as ‘housing welfare services’ that help solve various housing problems.

The housing management service areas include ▲starting housing management services for small-scale rental housing with fewer than 300 households ▲shortening defect repair periods for rental housing ▲expanding housing management services for single-person households.

In the housing welfare service areas, ▲expanding ‘housing upgrade support’ for non-home residents such as jjokbang and gosiwon to all districts ▲providing ‘emergency temporary housing’ for citizens who suddenly lose their homes ▲strengthening support for rental housing residents in life crises ▲and offering ‘youth-specialized housing consultations’ for university students and newlyweds. The goal is to resolve various housing concerns and help stable social settlement.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, "The Housing Safety Comprehensive Centers to be installed in all 25 districts will be a strong shield embracing citizens facing housing problems and crises," adding, "We will work hard to ensure that no Seoul citizen sheds tears or is pushed to the brink due to housing issues."