'Preparing for Independence After 3 Months of Residence'... Incheon to Open 7th Short-Term Housing for Disabled Next Month

Short-term residential housing to support the independence of people with disabilities is opening in Incheon. The Disability Housing Transition Support Center under the Incheon Social Service Institute announced on the 25th that it will begin operating short-term independent living housing for people with disabilities next month.

As the name suggests, the short-term housing is a place where people with disabilities can live for a certain period to prepare for independence. Next month, a total of seven units, including Unit 6 in Seonhak-dong, Yeonsu-gu, and Unit 1 in Songnim-dong, Dong-gu, are scheduled to open.

The residence period is 1 to 3 months, with one possible extension. The principle is single household living, but in Songnim-dong, applicants wishing to live communally are separately recruited, allowing for two-person living. A dedicated social worker is assigned to create an independence experience plan tailored to individual capabilities, and support is provided through independence training programs such as daily life, housing, and financial management.

The short-term housing began in 2019 when Incheon Urban Corporation signed a contract with a social welfare corporation. This year, it signed a new contract with the Housing Transition Center and was reborn as short-term housing that provides practical support for independence.

In particular, this place serves as a pre-stage for community independence, allowing residents to later move into disability support housing operated by the Housing Transition Center. Disability support housing is supplied by the LH Incheon Headquarters and Incheon Urban Corporation, and residents can live permanently by paying a personal fee lower than the market price. Currently, 28 units are in operation.

As the Housing Transition Center begins operating short-term housing, it plans to expand the target group to include home-based people with disabilities. Currently, disability support housing prioritizes people with disabilities discharged from facilities, making it difficult for home-based people with disabilities to use.

Hwang Heung-gu, director of the Incheon Social Service Institute, said, "We will do our best to support people with disabilities who want to live independently in the community so that they do not hesitate to become independent due to lack of housing."