Naju-si to Provide 'Vacant House Maintenance Subsidy' from Next Year... Up to 3 Million Won

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do announced on the 28th that starting next year, the vacant house maintenance subsidy will be significantly increased from the existing 1.5 million KRW to up to 3 million KRW depending on the demolition area.

Vacant houses that have been left unattended for a long time pose risks of collapse, fire, and criminal incidents, and cause various social problems such as damaging the landscape. However, due to the high self-payment ratio compared to the existing subsidy, owners have tended to be reluctant to demolish vacant houses.

The increase in the vacant house maintenance project subsidy is a pledge of the 8th local government administration, aiming to improve the landscape through the voluntary maintenance and demolition of vacant houses by owners, while also utilizing vacant houses as homes for returnees to farming and rural areas.

The support targets houses or buildings that have not been occupied or used for more than one year, including cases where the owner requests vacant house maintenance.

The subsidy is paid differentially based on the building area (35,000 KRW per square meter), with a maximum support of 3 million KRW for areas of 80㎡ or more.

The city registers vacant houses on the LX Corporation's vacant house information system (Gonggarang) after obtaining the owner's consent for vacant house sales or rental transactions, and strives to provide information so that prospective returnees to farming and rural areas can purchase and settle in vacant houses.

Additionally, the city plans to promote the ‘Rural Vitality Vacant House Regeneration Project,’ another pledge of the 8th local government administration, to remodel vacant houses left in villages and create temporary housing facilities for returnees to farming and rural areas.

This project supports remodeling construction costs up to 40 million KRW per location if the vacant house owner, village council, and social organizations sign a 5-year agreement for free housing use and management.

The city has allocated 300 million KRW in the next year’s main budget and plans to promote the vacant house regeneration project targeting a total of 10 locations.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “With the realistic increase in subsidies promised to citizens in the 8th local government administration, we will reduce the cost burden on vacant house owners and induce voluntary demolition to prevent fire and collapse accidents and improve a pleasant landscape.”

He added, “Through multifaceted policies utilizing unattended vacant houses as new homes for returnees to farming and rural areas, we will support their stable settlement.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong baekok@asiae.co.kr