On the morning of Aug. 18, 1997 an incident that became known as the Lincoln Mansions (
The tragedy -- caused by over-development on the hillside, a construction company that only cared about its own interests and not well-designed buildings -- has affected Taiwan's policy on hillside development. But many years later, the public appears to have forgotten the incident, perhaps believing the community's residents have resumed their normal lives.
The fact is, however, those empty buildings still remain five years after the government forced many of their residents to evacuate. The ruined pillars and scattered furniture that remain in the area all attest to the tragedy. In addition, heavy rains brought by Typhoon Nari last year washed away the retaining wall of the fourth building in the complex. The ground collapsed and the complex's basketball court ended up resembling something painted by the late Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali. Unfortunately, the place is not an uninhabited pile of ruin, but is home to about 1,000 households.
The Lincoln Mansions disaster hampered the community's vision, as the development of schools, parks and children's playgrounds have not been realized. Other buildings in the community have lost their value because the ruined buildings are still there. The cancellation of the community shuttle bus service and the relocation of many residents have made the operations of the community management committee very difficult. Due to these factors, the actual facilities of -- and the residents' psychological identification with -- the community are deteriorating.
When the construction of the community began, the Cabinet's Construction and Planning Administration responsible for the development of hillsides was under KMT control. However, the construction license was issued by the Taipei County Govern-ment, which was under DPP control. Since the construction company has very good relations with important officials in the central government, the handling of the disaster has enjoyed little support and supervision from our elected representatives.
Although some political heavyweights have expressed their concerns for the community and the government has held over 100 meetings with residents, no effective, feasible solution on its rebuilding has been reached. In fact, the stopgap repair measures carried out by the government did not solve the problems.
The construction company has also delayed solving the problems -- so that it can "settle a matter by leaving it unsettled" (不了了之), as the Chinese saying goes. Today, the residents can only negotiate with banks individually on the repayment of housing loans. But how can these individuals fight against a powerful construction company?
Most of the residents were first-time homeowners who had bought apartments after years of hard work. Just as they were creating their homes and promoting community identity, they were confronted by a major catastrophe. Whether they have relocated or not, the residents are all facing the fact they own valueless property while they have to deal with housing loan pressures.
Since the disaster was unprecedented, no precedents could be cited for handling the case. The problems are so complex that the local and central governments, the banks, the builder, the community and the residents are all involved. I'm afraid it's difficult to solve the problems with only screams and shouts from the residents, or through their petitions, protests and negotiations.
It's impossible for the construction company, the government or the banks to solely take the responsibility for the loss. It's also impossible to solve the problem by one single method -- such as compensation, demolition or loan extensions. Nevertheless, if we close our eyes and continue to delay reconstruction, the residents will continue living under economic and psychological pressure. The infrastructure and environment of the community will also gradually decline.
It is hoped that the government can squarely face the Lincoln Mansions problem. It should entrust unbiased, professional institutions to organize and design the rebuilding of the community. A specific government unit should be in charge of the coordination among the related agencies, the builder, the banks and the community -- in order to reach a consensus and carry out solutions. If the problem can be solved in a satisfying way, this will not only help the over 1,000 families in the community but also set a milestone for post-disaster reconstruction.
The problems of the Lincoln Mansions community will not disappear. In fact, they have gradually become more serious. Where is the community heading? This is a test for the government's ability and sincerity.
Bih Herng-dar is an associate professor in the Graduate Institute of Building and Planning at National Taiwan University and a member of the Taipei Society.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
A foreign colleague of mine asked me recently, “What is a safe distance from potential People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force’s (PLARF) Taiwan targets?” This article will answer this question and help people living in Taiwan have a deeper understanding of the threat. Why is it important to understand PLA/PLARF targeting strategy? According to RAND analysis, the PLA’s “systems destruction warfare” focuses on crippling an adversary’s operational system by targeting its networks, especially leadership, command and control (C2) nodes, sensors, and information hubs. Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, noted in his 15 May 2025 Sedona Forum keynote speech that, as
As former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) concludes his fourth visit to China since leaving office, Taiwan finds itself once again trapped in a familiar cycle of political theater. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has criticized Ma’s participation in the Straits Forum as “dancing with Beijing,” while the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) defends it as an act of constitutional diplomacy. Both sides miss a crucial point: The real question is not whether Ma’s visit helps or hurts Taiwan — it is why Taiwan lacks a sophisticated, multi-track approach to one of the most complex geopolitical relationships in the world. The disagreement reduces Taiwan’s
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is visiting China, where he is addressed in a few ways, but never as a former president. On Sunday, he attended the Straits Forum in Xiamen, not as a former president of Taiwan, but as a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman. There, he met with Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Huning (王滬寧). Presumably, Wang at least would have been aware that Ma had once been president, and yet he did not mention that fact, referring to him only as “Mr Ma Ying-jeou.” Perhaps the apparent oversight was not intended to convey a lack of
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) last week announced that the KMT was launching “Operation Patriot” in response to an unprecedented massive campaign to recall 31 KMT legislators. However, his action has also raised questions and doubts: Are these so-called “patriots” pledging allegiance to the country or to the party? While all KMT-proposed campaigns to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers have failed, and a growing number of local KMT chapter personnel have been indicted for allegedly forging petition signatures, media reports said that at least 26 recall motions against KMT legislators have passed the second signature threshold
RSS