Annual rent subsidies totaling NT$30 billion (US$930.23 million) would continue to be offered for 500,000 households as part of President William Lai’s (賴清德) “Million Support Project for Tenants,” a government official said yesterday.
The goal of the program is to provide 250,000 social housing units, 250,000 rental units under the scheme, and yearly rental subsidies totaling NT$30 billion for up to 500,000 households until 2032, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous.
The number of social housing units would increase by 35,000 every year, including 15,000 newly built units and 20,000 subleased and managed units, they said.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, the 2023-2024 program in April exceeded the target of 500,000 households approved for rental subsidies, two months earlier than estimated, a Ministry of the Interior report said.
The Executive Yuan approved of all the eligible applicants despite already having hit the target, the official said, adding that the ministry has submitted a revised plan.
Those who are eligible can continue to apply to the program without their rights and interests being affected, and the cost would be covered by the housing fund and, when that is insufficient, the National Treasury Administration, the official said.
The government would simplify the review process and improve operations for next year, they added.
Authorities would find land, including underutilized public property and old buildings, while also cooperating with schools to construct more social housing, the official said.
Citing the Measures to Promote Social Welfare Housing Policies and Increasing Usable Land for Housing Projects (推動社會住宅成果與提升社宅用地供給精進措施) passed in December last year by the Executive Yuan, the official said that 3 percent of development areas in the six special municipalities, and 5 percent in other administrative regions, should be reserved for social welfare facilities.
The reserved land needs comprehensive spatial planning to build “a small town” by integrating the social housing with essential public facilities such as daycare centers to meet the local needs, the official said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old