Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) promised to set up an exclusive fund for social housing and increase social housing to 10 percent of the nation’s total housing stock if elected president in January.
Speaking at a meeting with social housing activists yesterday, Tsai, the DPP’s presidential candidate, said the government should provide more social housing for the disadvantaged rather than allowing market forces to determine housing supply and prices.
“We will use multiple channels to provide more social housing, including building new housing, promoting urban renewal projects and decreasing the number of idle housing units,” Tsai said.
Tsai said house prices are too high for members of the general public, let alone those who are economically disadvantaged. Taipei’s house price to income ratio was between about eight and 10 to one in 2008, but the ratio had risen dramatically to 16 to one in the second quarter of this year, she said, adding that New Taipei City (新北市) faced a similar predicament.
With the income gap widening, the government should take measures on affordable housing, she said, pledging that if the DPP takes power in January, social housing would be for rent only and that the party would give priority to young, disadvantaged and disabled people.
Jeroen van der Veer, vice director of the Amsterdam Federation of Housing Associations, shared his association’s experiences at the meeting and Tsai vowed to take into consideration all the suggestions made by activists.
On Monday, activists are planning to hold Taiwan’s biggest-ever International Conference on Social Housing in Taipei to coincide with World Habitat Day.
Twelve professionals from the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Japan and South Korea have been invited to discuss international social housing issues.
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