Seoul City Selects 10 Candidate Sites for Human Town 2.0 Project

Support Project for New Construction and Remodeling of Viapate Begins in Earnest
Final Project Sites Confirmed Through Maintenance Plan Establishment and More

Seoul City has selected 10 candidate sites for the 'Human Town 2.0' project, a support initiative for new construction and remodeling of non-apartment buildings such as multi-family and multi-household residences.

Location map of 432-24 Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, selected as a candidate site for Human Town 2.0 (Source: Seoul City)

On the 6th, Seoul City announced that it had selected a total of 10 candidate sites for the Human Town 2.0 project in △Jongno-gu (2 locations) △Jung-gu (2 locations) △Gangseo-gu (2 locations) △Gangbuk-gu (1 location) △Jungnang-gu (1 location) △Guro-gu (1 location) △Seongbuk-gu (1 location).

The Human Town 2.0 project is a housing stability measure that supports maintenance in the non-apartment sector by supporting individual buildings rather than reconstruction or redevelopment projects involving complete demolition. Currently, pilot projects are underway at △214, Sinyeong-dong, Jongno-gu △85-29, Guro-dong, Guro-gu △422-1, Mangu-dong, Jungnang-gu, among others.

The 10 candidate sites were selected after a comprehensive review of whether they meet essential criteria such as the urgency of housing maintenance, the possibility of supplying infrastructure like parking lots, and the effectiveness of the project.

The areas around 164, Hoehyeon-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu and 432-24, Sindang-dong are regions facing difficulties in improving the residential environment due to various building regulations because of their proximity to Namsan and the Seoul City Wall. The area around 47, Ogin-dong, Jongno-gu is one of the regions urgently needing housing maintenance due to many vacant houses and severe aging. In Gangseo-gu, where redevelopment was difficult due to height restrictions near Gimpo Airport, the areas around 370-38 and 167-10, Hwagok-dong were selected as candidate sites.

Location map of 516-21 Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu, selected as a candidate site for Human Town 2.0 (Source: Seoul City)

Other candidate sites include △516-21, Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu △86-2, Mangu-dong, Jungnang-gu △1-1061, Myeongnyun 3-ga, Jongno-gu △288-7, Gaebong-dong, Guro-gu △300, Samseon-dong 1-ga, Seongbuk-gu.

If selected as a Human Town 2.0 project site, various building standards will be relaxed during new construction and remodeling, and up to 10 billion KRW will be supported for infrastructure improvements. Building standards such as floor area ratio, building coverage ratio, landscaping area, and open space within the site will be eased through designation as special architectural zones, architectural agreement concentration zones, and remodeling activation zones. City funds will be provided to autonomous districts for planning such as zone designation. To reduce the burden on building owners, up to 3% of loan interest on project costs up to 3 billion KRW will be supported, and tax reduction benefits will also be provided.

A Moa Center providing housing management services such as patrols, home repairs, and unmanned parcel lockers will be installed in the project sites.

Additionally, among the 10 candidate sites, autonomous districts wishing to participate in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 'New Village' project plan to apply for project site selection within this month. If selected as a New Village project site by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, up to 15 billion KRW in national funds will be supported for infrastructure improvement projects such as parking lots, matched by city and district funds.

Han Byung-yong, Director of the Housing Office of Seoul City, said, "We will strive to expand support for the supply of non-apartment housing such as multi-family, multi-household, and urban-type residential housing, as well as the Human Town 2.0 project, to stabilize the housing of low-income residents in aging low-rise residential areas that are blind spots for various developments."