Elderly Leaving Homes of 40 Years... "Where Should We Go If Reconstruction Happens?" [Turning My Home into a Senior House]

"I have no income, so I can't even get a loan for the reconstruction contribution."
"If I move somewhere else, I'll become an outsider. How can I live?"
Elderly people may suffer health problems after relocating to unfamiliar places
Measures such as priority allocation rights for rental housing are needed

On October 25 last year, Namseong Apartment in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. After five failed bids in 2023, a construction company was selected for Namseong Apartment, and the reconstruction project is underway with the goal of relocation within this year. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

"They say the reconstruction contribution fee to move back into my 25-pyeong apartment is 350 million won." The mood darkened instantly when someone brought up the topic of reconstruction. "If you’re young, you can at least get a loan from the bank. But how can elderly people with no income manage?" "We’ve lived together in this apartment for decades, and now that we have to part ways, it’s so heartbreaking. Where will we go? I don’t know. I really don’t."

Namseong Apartment, built in 1983, is about to undergo reconstruction. In October 2023, Hanwha Construction was selected as the contractor. Relocation could start as early as this year. The thought of leaving a beloved place where they have lived for at least 20 years, and in some cases over 40 years, weighs heavily on the elderly residents. Most have lived here for decades. During that time, many husbands have passed away, and grown children have moved out, leaving many grandmothers living alone.

"Among the grandmothers living in this apartment, only six still have their husbands. They’re all widows with nowhere else to go. The children told us to agree to the reconstruction, so we did, but I wish it would be canceled even now." "Out of 390 households, they say if only 100 households move back in, that would be a lot. Some say they will pay the contribution fee and come back once the new apartments are built." "If I move somewhere else because of reconstruction, I’ll become an outsider. It will be hard to make friends again there." Deep sighs echoed here and there.

Reconstruction and Redevelopment... Elderly People in Crisis

On October 25 last year, Grandmother Min Sundeok and Grandmother Hwang Jeonggyu are moving home after having lunch together at the senior center in Namseong Apartment, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong

The current market price of Namseong Apartment is around 700 million won for a 58㎡ unit. If residents cannot pay the 300 million won contribution fee, they will receive a cash settlement. This means they get the appraised value of their home from the developer. The appraised value is generally lower than actual transaction prices. While it is not difficult to buy a rental home in Seoul with the money from selling their apartment, leaving the home where elderly people have lived is practically a 'disaster.' If they relocate to an unfamiliar place and their health deteriorates, they can no longer live alone and must enter facilities like nursing homes.

Professor Choi Hee-kyung of the Department of Counseling Psychology and Welfare at Silla University said, "Urban elderly face crises not only from spatial changes due to redevelopment and reconstruction but also from broken relationships and psychological anxiety. Unstable neighbor relations cause confusion and negatively affect their self-identity." This is why reconstruction of apartments with many elderly residents is difficult. Professor Choi emphasized, "When planning and implementing maintenance projects, the perceptions and experiences of elderly people must be fully considered."

To Keep Elderly Residents in Their Neighborhoods

There are realistically no adequate measures for elderly people who must relocate due to redevelopment or reconstruction. Park Yong-seon, Director of the Housing Maintenance Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "It is practically difficult to prepare relocation measures specifically for elderly residents." The reasoning is that there are many homeless people, and it would be unfair for the government to assist elderly homeowners with relocation as well.

One possible approach is priority allocation rights for rental housing. Professor Yoo Seon-jong of Konkuk University’s Department of Real Estate suggested, "If elderly residents who cannot move in due to lack of contribution fees are given priority allocation rights for rental housing built within the new apartment complex, at least they could continue living in their neighborhood."