Preference for Apartments Due to Safety, Building Management, and Waste Issues
Reality That Not Everyone Can Live in Apartments Nationwide
Positive Reviews for Adding Apartment Management Office Functions to Villa Offices
The manager in charge of the villa management office in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, is cleaning the area around the villa and the alleys. (Photo by Gangbuk-gu Office)
Recently, a district conducted a social indicator survey, revealing that 80% of respondents in the area preferred multi-family housing (apartments). The reasons cited were safety (public security), building management, waste disposal, and convenience in parking.
The soaring jeonse prices of apartments in Seoul may also be explained by this. Since demand is concentrated solely on apartments, multi-family housing (villas and row houses), despite their advantage of lower housing costs compared to apartments, are unpopular. Frequent jeonse frauds, especially centered around villas, have further exacerbated the situation.
Apartments account for 58% of all housing in Seoul, while multi-family housing makes up about 26%. In Gangbuk-gu, villas and row houses constitute 46.4%, which is higher than apartments at 35.6%, showing a significant difference from the Seoul average.
In response to this reality, Gangbuk-gu has established a "Villa Management Office," which has been operating for nine months. In March, Gangbuk-gu began a pilot operation of the Villa Management Office targeting 68 multi-family housing buildings with 694 households in Beon 1-dong, an area with a high density of small buildings. The goal is to address the management blind spots of multi-family housing, which lack a management entity, by resolving issues related to safety, defect repairs, and waste disposal through the Villa Management Office. Three managers work in shifts on weekdays and weekends, fulfilling the role of apartment management office staff. The office building is located at Saetgang Children's Park in Beon 1-dong.
The project was prepared over a considerable period. The Villa Management Office was also a campaign pledge of Mayor Lee Soon-hee, aiming to provide residents living in villas with a sense of security and comfort similar to that of apartment residents, thereby increasing attachment to the community.
To secure budget support for this project, Gangbuk-gu revised ordinances to define multi-family housing with fewer than 20 households as "voluntary management multi-family housing." In October last year, a survey was conducted among residents, which highlighted issues with cleaning, common facility management, safety, and parking, prioritizing these areas for resolution.
In September, Gangbuk-gu conducted a resident satisfaction survey, with 94% expressing satisfaction and 88% wanting the project expanded. On the 9th of this month, a mid-term report meeting and resident briefing session were held to share achievements and future plans.
Gangbuk-gu supports the installation of recycling bins and unauthorized dumping surveillance CCTV in areas where the Villa Management Office is established and plans to increase cleaning frequency in alleys prone to habitual dumping. Plans also include repair of aging villa rooftops and walls, creating flower beds on leftover villa land, and other resident participation activation projects. Additionally, detection of hidden cameras in public restrooms in parks and installation of safety bells in vulnerable areas are planned. Since cooperation and participation among villa residents are crucial, the Villa Management Office is also exploring ways to revitalize the local community.
Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu (center in the photo), visited the area managed by the villa management office last May and toured it together with the officials. (Photo by Gangbuk-gu Office)
Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, stated, “Above all, the dedication of the managers made the Villa Management Office project successful,” adding, “Reflecting residents’ opinions, we plan to establish one office each in the Suyu and Mia areas next year, operating a total of three offices.”
The Villa Management Office project won the grand prize in the autonomous district category at the Manifesto Competition last July. Gangbuk-gu explained that as the project gained recognition, inquiries have increased not only from Seoul and neighboring districts but also from autonomous districts nationwide, including Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province.
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