The Ministry of the Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency has received more than 10,000 applications for housing subsidies in the first week of the application period, with the majority of applicants seeking rent subsidies, agency statistics showed.
The application period for rent, home loan and renovation loan subsidies is open every year from late July through August.
Qualified applicants should apply to the city or county governments where their households are registered, officials said.
This year, the agency plans to grant subsidies to 71,963 housing units.
As of Friday last week, it had received 14,382 applications nationwide, 13,306 of which were for rent subsidies, while 932 were for mortgage subsidies and 144 were for renovation subsidies, statistics showed.
Rent subsidies have always been the most sought-after, officials said, although the maximum amount differs from area to area.
The cap on rent subsidies for Taipei residents is NT$5,000 per month, while that for New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County is NT$4,000 a month, and Tainan and Kaohsiung residents may receive up to NT$3,200.
The majority of rent subsidy applications it has received so far are from Taoyuan with 2,836 applications, followed by Kaohsiung with 2,552, the agency said.
Taoyuan applicants also account for the majority of mortgage subsidies with 218 applications, it said.
Applications are evaluated using a point-based system, with those receiving more points prioritized higher.
“To encourage marriage and parenthood, starting this year, we will give additional points to newlyweds and parents-to-be,” the agency said.
For example, applicants who have been married for less than two years would receive two points, it said.
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