The Taipei City Government yesterday approved an urban renewal project proposed by Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), and will start renovation of apartment buildings next month. The project aims to rennovate four and five-story apartment buildings that are at least 30 years old, with at least 200,000 property owners qualifying for the free upgrade.
Hau yesterday pledged to assist residents to apply for the renovations, saying that the city government would exercise its authority if any residents refuse to move out of buildings where work is being carried out.
“The old apartment building renewal project will improve Taipei’s appearance and improve residents’ living conditions. We will not let a small number of residents who refuse to cooperate affect our plan,” he said at Taipei City Hall.
Lin Chung-chieh (林崇傑), director of Taipei City’s Urban Development Office, said the city government had already held 14 public hearings with local residents to explain the details of the project, adding that the office would provide assistance with the application process where necessary.
Renewal of old apartments has been a thorny issue because the floor area of each residence would shrink after renovation under current urban renewal regulations, affecting both construction companies and home owners’ willingness to renew their properties.
According to the project, four to five-story apartment buildings that are 30 years or older and over 2,000m² will qualify for improvements.
Residents who live in apartments that meet the conditions and are located in wealthier districts, such as Da-an (大安) and Xinyi (信義), and whose property value exceeds NT$500,000 per ping (3.3m²), will be provided with a similar sized unit and a parking space for free while their apartments are being renewed.
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