The lease of Fuzhou Heyi Residential House will expire and disadvantaged households may fall into housing crisis

The affordable housing portion of Fuzhou located in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, is rented out as social housing. (Photo by reporter Huang Ziyang)

The Fuzhou affordable housing in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, is partly rented out as social housing. New Taipei City Councilor Huang Shujun said that 440 households have expired due to the expiration of the 10-year contract and the "property lock-up period" has been lifted. The owners may take back the resale or increase the rent, causing the disadvantaged tenants who originally rented the social housing to find themselves in housing difficulties. It is hoped that the city government should establish a "dedicated matchmaking window" and propose a resettlement plan to relieve the pressure on disadvantaged households.

The Urban and Rural Development Bureau responded that this case is a case promoted by the Central Land Management Bureau. The Urban and Rural Development Bureau can subsequently invite the Land and Resources Department and the operation and management company to discuss the follow-up treatment plan, understand the relevant planning after the lease expires, and study the feasibility of extending the lease and related supporting measures.

The Urban and Rural Affairs Bureau said that the relevant regulations such as the sales ban in this case are an agreement between the central competent authority and investment manufacturers. Currently, more than 400 rental residences are managed by private companies. After contacting the company, it was learned that the existing leases will gradually expire from mid-2028. If there are residents who are in trouble due to the expiration of the lease, For housing assistance needs, the Urban and Rural Affairs Bureau will work with the Department of Land and Resources to take stock of the social housing resources available from the central government and the city in the Banqiao area, and provide information and application assistance on measures such as the 30 billion yuan central government's expanded rent subsidy, youth rental subsidy, and lease management to help people connect to appropriate housing options.

Huang Shujun said that the contracts for the second phase of Fuzhou Heyi residential rental units have expired in the past and this year, and the 10-year property rights lock-up period has been lifted. Although it is a market mechanism, the 440 social housing tenants among them are mostly young people or disadvantaged families. They are afraid that the owners will take back the houses for resale or raise the rent, causing a large number of existing residents to be forced to move, turning "residential justice into a housing crisis."

Huang Shujun called on the city government’s Urban and Rural Affairs Bureau and the Center for Housing and Urban Renewal to establish a one-stop dedicated window to provide consultation and assistance to affected tenants, including whether to proactively inventory and match vacancies in nearby social housing, transfer to central rent subsidies, etc., and use practical actions to assist disadvantaged tenants.