[Reporter’s Notebook] "Silver Housing" Still Not Recognized as "Housing"

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The remarks made by a real estate industry insider during my coverage of senior housing were worth reflecting on. When asked why the silver housing business remains stagnant despite the growing elderly population, he firmly stated, "There has been no progress at all because of the barriers between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Health and Welfare." He added, "The Ministry of Land only waits for the Ministry of Health to act first with their arms folded, while the Ministry of Health is unreachable."

The fundamental cause of these policy silos lies in the tangled legal framework. What we commonly call 'silver towns' or 'silver housing' is officially named 'elderly welfare housing.' Although its name contains 'housing,' it is not actually considered housing. Under the Elderly Welfare Act, these are classified as 'facilities for the elderly and children,' with only partial application of the Housing Act, resulting in an ambiguous status. The vague regulation requiring selective application of laws according to facility characteristics leads to confusion in administrative practice. Even for the same elderly welfare housing, some local governments allow balcony extensions while others prohibit them, depending on their interpretation. This is because the Housing Act and the Building Act are not aligned with each other.

These legal contradictions have also led to the side effect of market polarization. The market has divided between ultra-luxury private silver housing, aimed at maximizing profitability, and public rental units for low-income groups. As elderly welfare housing, categorized as facilities for the elderly and children, can secure land in prime areas like neighborhood commercial districts with lower barriers compared to regular apartments, it avoids regulations under the Housing Act, such as the price ceiling system. This allows companies to freely set sales prices and rents, resulting in the market naturally concentrating on ultra-high-end products that maximize profit. As a result, affordable models that middle-class seniors could choose have virtually disappeared. The first move-in for Silver Stay, a public-supported private rental for seniors, will only be possible in 2029, and construction has not even started yet.

Recently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has proactively created a forum to listen to industry concerns. They plan to include affordable senior housing models under the Housing Act for management, and it is notable that the ministry has taken this initiative voluntarily. Once the legal status is clearly defined as housing, the frameworks of the Housing Act-such as approval of housing construction plans, housing construction standards, subscription and supply systems-can be consistently applied. Public-interest regulations such as price ceilings and rent management will also be applied, making it easier to expand affordable models.

Last year, Korea entered the era of a super-aged society, with people aged 65 and over accounting for more than 21% of the total population. There is now at least the potential for a surge in demand for silver housing. What seniors desire is not extravagant facilities, but a stable living space where they are treated appropriately according to the cost they pay and can maintain their daily lives. The core of senior housing policy should shift from a welfare-based, charitable perspective to a focus on housing as a universal right. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish a control tower to integrate and manage the currently divided work of each ministry and to accelerate policy implementation.

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