Approval of Management Disposal Plan Without Securing Alternative Site for Administrative Welfare Center
No Janitor Center or Senior Citizens' Hall... Plans for Cash Settlement and Commercial Building Occupancy
Not Free Occupancy Either... Minimum 5 Billion KRW Public Funds Expected to Be Wasted on Monthly Rent and More
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has been consistently lukewarm in securing the site for the Administrative Welfare Center for over 16 years in the housing redevelopment project initiated in 2007, putting tens of billions of won of residents' tax money at risk of being wasted.
According to Seo-gu on the 28th, Seo-gu approved the management disposition plan for the Yangdong 3 Housing Redevelopment Maintenance Project on October 7 last year. The project involves constructing 13 apartment buildings (1,218 households) ranging from 2 basement floors to 28 floors above ground on a 55,348㎡ area around Yangdong 302.
The problem lies in the fact that although the final management disposition approval was granted, a replacement site for the existing Yangdong Administrative Welfare Center, the Street Beautification Workers Welfare Center, and the Senior Citizens' Center has not been secured.
The project was flawed from the very beginning.
According to the bird's-eye view and announcement at the time of the designation of the maintenance zone on May 30, 2007, neither the construction plan nor the land use plan included the Administrative Welfare Center or the Street Beautification Workers Welfare Center.
Seo-gu conditionally approved the project implementation on February 1, 2018, on the condition that a replacement site would be secured. The association later proposed one plan but postponed the approval of the management disposition plan to secure a better replacement site.
However, without finalizing the replacement site, the final management disposition plan was approved on October 7 last year.
The disposal of the existing Administrative Welfare Center was agreed upon as a cash settlement, and it is known that the plan was made for the Administrative Welfare Center to move into the 2nd or 3rd floor of the apartment commercial building, not the 1st floor, raising criticism that no action was taken during this time.
What is more problematic is that it is not a free move-in. Seo-gu agreed to sell the existing Administrative Welfare Center site to the association for about 2 billion KRW, but the estimated cost for moving into the commercial building is about 6 to 7 billion KRW.
Also, until the commercial building is completed, it will take at least five years to operate in a nearby building, and with a monthly rent of about 15 million KRW plus remodeling costs, an additional 1 billion KRW of wasted money is expected.
Officials explain that if the replacement site had been firmly secured before approving the redevelopment project management disposition plan, tens of billions of won in taxpayers' money could have been saved.
Securing a new site instead of moving into the commercial building is also not easy. Seo-gu hastily looked into purchasing nearby land large enough to build a center, but it is known that about 6 billion KRW is needed just for the land price.
On top of that, construction costs for the center are separate. Selling the existing Administrative Welfare Center for about 2 billion KRW means an additional 8 billion KRW is needed.
As tens of billions of won of residents' tax money are at risk of being wasted like this, it has become difficult for Seo-gu to avoid criticism for its complacent administration.
Meanwhile, Seo-gu council member Jeon Seung-il, during a five-minute speech at the temporary council meeting held that day, requested ▲ the formation of a TF team in the relevant departments to establish definite measures for the Yangdong Administrative Welfare Center, Street Beautification Workers Welfare Center, and Senior Citizens' Center ▲ a firm opposition to the Yangdong Administrative Welfare Center moving into the newly constructed apartment commercial building and requested that the replacement site be secured using only the existing cash settlement amount.
Council member Jeon said, "A modern-day Bongyi Kim Seon-dal has appeared," and criticized, "Seo-gu's property has disappeared, but without any measures, personnel transfers to other departments end the matter. This indifferent administration and the lack of interdepartmental cooperation, a compartmentalized administration, have caused this situation."
He added, "Even looking at the Hwajeong 2-dong case, the disadvantages of the Administrative Welfare Center moving into a commercial building are clear. I will continue to check the measures and progress regarding this situation through future district administration questions and will fight alongside the residents until this issue is resolved."
In response, a Seo-gu official said, "I understand that from the beginning in 2006, there was talk of cash settlement for the Administrative Welfare Center," and added, "We will proceed to ensure there are no problems with moving into the commercial building or securing a replacement site."
Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho yjm3070@asiae.co.kr
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