Dongjak-gu, Thorough Removal of Hoarded Trash... A Gift of a Pleasant Home

15 Suspected Households Identified, First Target Household on 30th Undergoes 3-Ton Waste Disposal and Housing Environment Improvement

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Park Il-ha) announced that it will take the lead in eliminating welfare blind spots by proactively identifying and supporting households suspected of hoarding compulsive disorder, who live by accumulating garbage inside their homes.

Hoarding disorder is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder where individuals cannot discard any items regardless of their use and continue to store them.

The district will fully implement the “Hoarding Household Support Project,” which systematically carries out everything from improving the living environment of residents suspected of hoarding compulsive disorder to case management and relapse prevention monitoring, aiming to build a dense welfare safety net.

Previously, the district conducted a survey through community service centers and welfare centers to find households suspected of hoarding compulsive disorder, identifying 15 households. On the 30th, a thorough cleaning was carried out to help stabilize the living conditions of the first target household and deliver new hope.

The target was a middle-aged single-person household living in Noryangjin-dong, who showed symptoms of alcohol dependence and suspected hoarding compulsive disorder, living in isolation with garbage piled up everywhere inside the house, threatening their health and safety.

Accordingly, the district actively stepped in to resolve the inconvenience caused to neighbors due to hygiene issues and to provide a pleasant living environment.

On that day, a total of 38 people, including the cleaning administration task force and volunteers, were deployed to dispose of three tons of garbage and thoroughly clean the mold-filled sink, refrigerator, and even the bathroom, followed by organizing, storage, and disinfection.

Additionally, the district plans to support treatment by linking the target with high alcohol dependence to medical institutions and to continuously manage the household through regular monitoring of cleanliness.

Going forward, the district plans to provide customized services needed by the remaining 14 households, such as household waste disposal, storage organization support, and mental health counseling and treatment linkage.

Furthermore, through community service centers, the district will continuously identify households in crisis that require help due to suspected hoarding symptoms that make daily life impossible and continue to provide practical support.

Environmental cleanup for mild cases such as simple garbage cleaning will be promptly handled by community service centers, while for households suffering from severe hoarding compulsive disorder, the Welfare Policy Division and related organizations will cooperate to promote support projects so that they can live in a safe and clean environment.

Park Il-ha, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, “We will do our best to actively identify not only households suspected of hoarding compulsive disorder but also households in crisis throughout the region and provide prompt support.” He added, “We will continue to implement various policies to eliminate welfare blind spots and build a dense social safety net.”