"New Hope Amidst Piles of Trash"... Jeonggwan-eup in Gijang Supports Residential Environment Improvement for Hoarding Households

Jeonggwan-eup in Gijang-gun, Busan has launched an initiative to improve the residential environment for low-income households experiencing hoarding disorder.

The Jeonggwan-eup Administrative Welfare Center recently cleaned and renovated the home of a household that had been left in piles of garbage, as part of the "Shining Our Village" project.

This project, sponsored by Busan Community Chest of Korea (Sarangui Yeolmae), is organized by the Jeonggwan-eup Community Social Security Council. It is a customized residential welfare program that goes beyond simple cleaning to provide comprehensive support, including pest control and waste disposal.

The household selected for support is a single-person young adult household, where hoarding disorder led to years of accumulated trash inside the home, resulting in repeated complaints from neighbors and ongoing psychological distress for the individual.

The welfare team and volunteers who visited the site spent several hours cleaning the space, which was filled with foul odors and pests, and completed pest control measures.

The beneficiary expressed gratitude, saying, "I am so thankful that my neighbors and the center helped me clean up the trash I could never have managed alone," and added with teary eyes, "I will try to keep my home clean from now on."

Song Youngjong, head of Jeonggwan-eup, stated, "Recently, hoarding disorder has been increasingly emerging as a social issue among young and middle-aged adults. As providing a pleasant living environment is directly linked to mental health, it is time for the administration to take active measures."

Jeonggwan-eup plans to continue monitoring the beneficiary even after this project. The plan is to not only provide a one-time clean-up but also to maintain the improved living environment through ongoing case management and emotional support.