Youth Groups Offer 5 Key Recommendations, Urging Government Review of Housing Policy

(CNA reporter Liu Guan-ting, Taipei, July 2nd) Taiwanese youth organizations including Youth Tide and others, along with legislators from both ruling and opposition parties, today jointly called on the government to review housing policies. They proposed five specific areas for review: increasing social housing supply, expediting the Executive Yuan's version of the rental act, rationalizing rental subsidy amounts, incorporating households missed by rental subsidies into management, and simultaneously planning university dormitories.

Youth Tide, the National Taiwan University Student Association, and the Generation Forward Association, along with KMT legislator Niu Hsu-ting, DPP legislator Huang Jie, and TPP legislator Hsu Chung-hsin, held a press conference demanding a comprehensive review of housing policies at the start of President Lai Ching-te's second half of his term. They collectively chanted slogans such as "Rental Youth Face Great Hardship, 5 Key Points Need Improvement."

The five specific areas for review proposed by the participating youth groups include increasing social housing supply, expediting the Executive Yuan's version of the rental act, rationalizing rental subsidy amounts, incorporating households missed by rental subsidies into management, and simultaneously planning university dormitories. Ho Chieh-en, Standing Director of Youth Tide, pointed out that the government should spend more time and adopt diverse methods, such as inter-ministerial coordination and cooperation with local governments, to increase the number of social housing projects.

Ho Chieh-en also stated that rental information has long been opaque, putting tenants at a disadvantage. Landlords often prohibit household registration changes, infringing upon the social welfare and political rights of young people. He expressed hope that the Executive Yuan will promptly introduce its version of the rental act, collecting rental information from both landlords and tenants through a two-pronged approach, strengthening prohibitions against unreasonable regulations, and establishing penalties.

Huang Jie stated that increasing social housing supply is essential. Many urban areas indeed need to identify more land for social housing, review, and utilize more public land and vacant buildings. Transparency in the rental market is also a key focus for future adjustments. At the same time, she hopes the central government can coordinate with various universities to include university dormitories as part of the rental environment renovation.

Niu Hsu-ting believes that reviewing the amount of rental subsidies is necessary, but the focus should be linked to market transparency mechanisms. Otherwise, increasing subsidy amounts might just benefit landlords. Housing policy still requires many adjustments. He urged the government to speed up its efforts and not give up, to positively respond to the housing needs and expectations of vulnerable groups and the younger generation, and to fulfill President Lai's commitment to housing justice.

Hsu Chung-hsin said that the Taiwan People's Party has worked hard to successfully pass the third reading of the Residential Housing Act at the end of January this year, taking a crucial step towards "realizing housing justice for all." The TPP will absolutely not back down and will do its utmost to ensure that the younger generation can afford housing and that vulnerable groups can truly rent homes, thereby truly realizing housing justice. (Edited by Su Lung-chi, Wan Shu-chang) 1150702

Stand with facts, your every donation is a force to protect press freedom

Download CNA's "One-Stop News" APP for real-time updates

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.