As housing prices have soared over the past few years, it has become increasingly difficult to find affordable places to live. Researchers say one way to solve the problem may be to raze some of the tightly packed houses in old neighborhoods of Jeju City and build multi-level units in their place. Joseph Kim explains.


Report

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Aging houses crowd neighborhoods in Jeju City

This is the old part of Jeju City in (삼도이동) Samdo 2-dong.

Aging, dilapidated houses line the road.

As most of them are single story homes, land use efficiency is quite low.

Local researchers suggested an idea that calls for razing the old houses and clearing land in the old downtown areas to build rental units.

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Proposal:
1F: Parking; 2F: Original owner’s apartment; 3F, 4F: Public rentals

The idea involves leveling old houses to the ground and building three or four story buildings in its place.

The first floor would be designated for parking, while the second floor would be owned by the original land owner, making the third and fourth floors public rental units.

For the project, the Jeju Provincial Development Corporation will be responsible for the lease and maintenance of the new buildings.

INTERVIEW
Eom Sang-geun / Researcher, Jeju Development Institute
Through the project, the province could provide more rental units and improve the residential sector of the old downtown area at the same time.
<인터뷰: 엄상근/ 제주발전연구원 책임연구원>
"개량을 하면서 일부는 임대로, 임대 형태는 하나의 방식이 되는데 그런 것들을 통해서 노후 주거지를 개선하는 방안이 가능하겠죠."

However, some point out that the ownership of buildings and land could be unclear and more parking space should be secured for anticipated population growth.

Additionally, the province should come up with plans to persuade more landowners to join the project.

INTERVIEW
Gang Gyeong-sik / Provincial council member
We need to do further research and determine whether current land ownership should be maintained or the province should purchase the land for new buildings.
<인터뷰: 강경식/ 제주도의회 토지정책특위 부위원장>
"토지 소유권을 지속적으로 토지주에게 줄 것이냐, 아니면 전부 다 매입을 해서 공동주택을 하고 지상권은 어떻게 할 것인지 복잡한 문제들이 있는데, 이런 부분들은 조금 더 연구를 하면..."

The public rental housing project is proposed for the welfare of the island’s residents.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Moon Ho-seong

Non-homeowners are now watching closely how the suggestion for the old district renovation and the provision for public rental housing will develop.

Joseph Kim, KCTV