Affordable housing meets resistance

On the face of it, local group loyalties have the upper hand in the simmering battle with Hsieh. "The county government is holding back NT$5 million to NT$6 million," he said, the result of which he estimates that only 10 percent of Aborigines have been given permanent new houses in the last two and a half years since the earthquake. By holding up household applications for subsidies, Hsieh says, their group has been brought to the brink of collapse. "We are now forced to accept other [commercial] projects just to stay solvent," he said, referring to the contract to redesign the Puli Teacher's Hostel (埔里教師會館). "It is such a waste," he lamented.