Changwon City Proposes 'Upgrade of Housing Benefit Zones Following Special City Designation'

Visit to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Proposal for Applying the Same Grade to Special Cities

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] On the 5th, Changwon City in Gyeongnam visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to request that the four special cities selected as special cases apply the same housing benefit zones when providing housing benefits.

Housing benefits are a system that supports rent for tenant households whose recognized income is 45% or less of the median income standard, to stabilize housing for vulnerable groups and alleviate housing cost burdens. Currently, it operates under four zones.

The four zone classifications are Zone 1 (Seoul), Zone 2 (Gyeonggi, Incheon), Zone 3 (Metropolitan cities, Sejong City), and Zone 4 (other regions), with Changwon classified as Zone 4.

Changwon City visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements several times last year to request an upgrade to Zone 3 (Metropolitan cities).

However, the proposal to upgrade the zone was rejected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Housing Benefit Subcommittee, following the opinion to review it during the full revision of the zone system scheduled for next year.

Meanwhile, on December 9 last year, with Changwon City, Goyang City, Suwon City, and Yongin City designated as special cities, the city actively requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is currently revising the housing benefit zone system for next year, to classify Changwon in the same zone as the three metropolitan cities in the Seoul metropolitan area (Goyang, Suwon, Yongin).

Choi Jaean, head of the Housing Policy Division, stated, "If the zone system is fully revised next year, it will greatly help stabilize housing for vulnerable groups receiving housing benefits in Changwon City."