Mokpo City to Establish Jeonnam's First 'Housing Welfare Center'

Providing Various Benefits Such as Home Repairs and Jeonse Brokerage for Low-Income Households

As residential welfare services expand, they are expected to significantly help improve the housing environment in deteriorated old downtown areas. Photo by Jeong Seung-hyun

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] Mokpo City, Jeollanam-do, has announced a legislative notice for a draft ordinance to support housing welfare aimed at stabilizing citizens' housing.

According to Mokpo City on the 13th, this ordinance was prepared to improve the housing standards for vulnerable groups by reflecting the trend of shifting housing policy direction from government-led to public-private cooperation.

Mayor Kim Jongsik stated, "Through this ordinance, the support details for housing welfare will be specifically specified, laying the foundation for housing welfare policies," and added, "We will carry out various welfare projects so that citizens can be happier through housing support and improvement of housing standards."

The ordinance includes ▲establishment of a basic housing welfare plan ▲conducting housing condition surveys ▲formation and operation of a housing welfare committee ▲installation and operation of a housing welfare center.

The scope of housing welfare projects is also specified. Specifically, it opens the way to ▲providing various housing welfare support-related services ▲housing welfare counseling, information provision, and case management ▲expansion of public rental housing supply and support for housing environment improvement ▲supply of public rental housing to households in emergency situations due to disasters such as fires ▲support for housing renovation funds ▲support for housing welfare-related organizations and institutions ▲education, research, and survey projects to improve housing welfare.

A housing welfare committee will also be formed. The committee will consist of up to 15 members, with a restriction that no more than 6/10 of one gender are allowed. The vice mayor of Mokpo will serve as the committee chairperson.

In particular, the ordinance provides the basis for establishing and entrusting the operation of a housing welfare center. The budget required for this is estimated to be 300 million KRW for personnel expenses, rent, and other costs.

Once the housing welfare center is established, various supports such as emergency repair assistance including home repairs and lease brokerage for low-income households will become possible. It also signifies the unification of housing-related tasks that were previously dispersed among organizations like LH into one place.

Baek Hwasuk, head of the Self-Support Housing Welfare Team of Mokpo City, explained the background of the initiative, saying, "With the establishment of the first housing welfare center in Jeollanam-do, it is expected that customized housing welfare projects will be able to help various social classes," and added, "Therefore, the ordinance was drafted to realize substantial housing welfare through the construction of a comprehensive housing welfare network."

The city plans to collect citizens' opinions until the 1st of next month, then proceed with the ordinance's promulgation after approval by the Mokpo City Council.