Government housing subsidies will be opened for the first time to disadvantaged residents of illegal structures, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.
“Because a substantial portion of disadvantaged households are probably renting ‘non-legal’ (非合法) structures such as rooftop ‘shelters’ (加蓋), we are relaxing requirements this year. So as long as you can prove you have lived in an illegal structure for at least a year, you will be able to apply for subsidies,” Deputy Minister of the Interior Hua Ching-chun (花敬群) said.
High property prices coupled with enforcement woes have made illegal constructions endemic in urban areas, with aerial views of Taipei showing a sea of tin roofs on top of apartment buildings.
“We still hope that after receiving subsidies, recipients’ ability to pay their own rent will improve and they will be able to move to safer, legal dwellings, but we will no longer force them to move before providing support,” he said.
The national subsidies quota is also going to be increased by about 3,000 households to a total of 61,000.
Construction and Planning Agency Chief Secretary Chen Chen-jung (陳貞蓉) said that members of disadvantaged households would be limited to applying for one year of subsidies while residing in illegal structures, with the renewal of the subsidy contingent on their moving to a legal dwelling.
“Living in illegal structures is not something that should be encouraged, but there are some low-income household that cannot afford to live anywhere else,” she said.
Subsidy applicants would be allowed to provide water and electricity payment receipts in lieu of tax receipts for rent payments, she added.
The previous requirement that tax receipts for rent be provided was criticized by civic groups as a substantial hurdle for subsidy applicants, given that the vast majority of landlords are allegedly hesitant to provide receipts for rent payments to avoid having to pay tax on their rentals.
Subsidy applications were up 15.5 percent last year compared with 2015, and all qualified applicants received subsidies in all localities, except Chiayi and Hsinchu counties, Chen said.
Subsides range from NT$3000 to NT$5,000 per month as of 2015, according to the latest figures on the ministry agency’s Web site.
The definition of “disadvantaged households” includes low-income families, Aboriginals and disabled people.
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