[2024 Housing Culture] Major Exterior Improvements to Conceal Whether It's Sale or Rent from Outside

by Sim NaYoung

Published 25 Mar.2024 09:15(KST)

View of Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town S10 Complex

Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) has recently rolled up its sleeves to evolve the trends in public rental housing. In the rental housing subscription system, the eligibility criteria for tenants have been reorganized to be tenant-centered, merging rental types that previously had different eligibility requirements, such as Happy and Permanent Rentals, into Integrated Public Rental Housing. Apartment complexes have been redesigned to accommodate residents from various income levels, with adjustments made to unit sizes, finishing materials, and designs. Integrated Public Rental Housing is a newly restructured rental housing system that consolidates existing rental housing eligibility criteria to allow diverse groups, including the middle class, to live together.

LH simplified the eligibility criteria for applying to Integrated Public Rental Housing to make it easier for prospective tenants to access. The eligibility was expanded to include middle-income households without homes, up to 150% of the median income. Additionally, a system was established that varies the available unit sizes and rental fees according to household size and income level. For example, a single-person household with an income between 50% and 70% of the median income pays rent at 50% of the market price for units under 26㎡. A three-person household at 100% of the median income pays rent at 80% of the market price for units under 46㎡.

A representative complex applying this system reform is Gwacheon Foretdream (Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town S10 Block). It was completed on December 10 last year, and move-ins are scheduled through the end of this month. In the January 2022 subscription, over 13,000 applicants competed, achieving an average subscription rate of 22 to 1, demonstrating high popularity. Prospective tenant A said, "I was looking for rental housing convenient for commuting to Seoul and happened to find this complex. The criteria were simple, so it was easy to check whether I qualified for moving in."

Although this complex is rental housing, the entrance features a gate similar to that of a sale complex. A stairwell model was installed that makes it unclear whether the building has corridor-style or stairwell-style access. The exterior was significantly improved so that it is indistinguishable from a sale complex from the outside, designed to free residents from discriminatory views toward rental housing.

LH also did not apply its sidewall mark, making it difficult to distinguish the complex by name alone. Residents can conveniently check notices and management fees through a dedicated app and enjoy healthcare services that provide lifestyle and health information.

For the exterior paint, paint with excellent color retention was used instead of the conventional water-based paint, and an art wall was applied at the first-floor entrance. High-end finishing materials comparable to those in sale complexes were extensively introduced, such as installing system louvers in auxiliary facilities. Residents can conveniently check notices and management fees through a dedicated app and enjoy healthcare services that provide lifestyle and health information.