The housing problem is a matter of public concern, since the shortage of house may form a social problem. The rate of supply of dwellings in Korea is on the decrease annually as 84.2% in 1960, 78.2% in 1971, 71.2% in 1980 and 69.9% in 1985. And 4,468 ...
The housing problem is a matter of public concern, since the shortage of house may form a social problem. The rate of supply of dwellings in Korea is on the decrease annually as 84.2% in 1960, 78.2% in 1971, 71.2% in 1980 and 69.9% in 1985. And 4,468 thousand households, which is 46.6% of 9,575 thousand of national total, live in a rented house and 3,121 thousand households equivalent to 70% of rented households make their home in an one bed-room house.
The primary factors in which such a housing shortage has been occurred can be classified as: (i) the rapid nuclear familiarizing and the gravitation of population toward cities, (ii) the shortage of housing site and the rise of costs in preparing housing site, (iii) the low investment in housing projects in contrast to GNP in Korea.
We have laid emphasis on the housing project since 1972. However, due to insufficient public or private investment at that time, the housing shortage and the speculation of real estate poses a big social problem in the latter half of 1970s. As real rental rise periodically under those circumstances, the homeless low-income housholds have had an experience of severe dwelling trouble from repeated house-moving, and the continuous rise of housing price have made weak their purchasing capability, hence they have felt a sense of alienation. On the other hand, such a housing famine may be a cause of the social problem. Moreover, the dwelling welfare level in Korea is very low, therefore we must have considered the housing problem as a matter of national importance in point of public welfare policy, and we have to stabilize the housing problem of homeless low-income groups.
The problems of the housing policy can be illustrated as: first, the investment in housing field has not been enough, second, due to the total volume policy, the quality of housing have been neglected, third, the public sector has made a small contibution to the housing field, and fourth, we have paid no special attention to the building of rented accommodation.
The financial problems in purchasing house are that: first, in the availabilty of funds, the financial support for purchasing house is deficient absolutely and the compulsory application of national housing bond is enforced, and the inducement of private investment in the housing market is insufficient. Second, in the supply of funds, the administration strategy of the Korea Housing Bank was inclined to some non-housing investments, and the interest on a loan of house purchase was not favorable to low-income households. Furthermore, the other housing problems of rented households can be arisen by the poor quality of rented accommodation or the frequent house moving through the periodical rise of rental or the lack of counterplot of the right of lease.
Though the requirements of the rental housing come from a cure for the above housing problems, there are other necessities of rented accommodation for changing the concept of the housing problem, stabilizing the house price, making for the national economic conditions, contributing the dwelling stabilty of homeless low-income groups, filling up the new demand for the house which is caused by industrialization in overcrowded urban areas, and dissolving partly the sense of alienation of low-income classes.
The undersupply of rented accommodation may have been occurred from various grounds, that is, the shortage of housing site, the low public investment, the hard procedure for a loan and the lack of positive construction plan in private sectors. On the other hand, the demand for rented accommodation may be hindered by the short term rent and the relative decrease of rental value comparing with owning real estate.
The supply of new rental houses during the last 5 years have been showed only 78 thousand households, especially a few supply from private sectors have been revealed. The reasons of the negative participation of private sectors in building rented accommodation can be explained as: first, there are some difficulties in the turnover ratio or the rate of return for private sectors, second, the subsidy for rental housing is insufficient, third, the tenant selection procedure is unreasonable, fourth, the rental housing is regarded as a symbol of low-income groups, fifth, it is difficult to borrow money in order to rent a house, sixth, in the long run, the rented house has not been an inflation proof asset, seventh, the housing policy has rather vague statutory responsibilities to housing needs.
The bibliographic study on the housing policy of developed countries shows that there are many points at which they meet on a common ground. The common factors are that there have been a welfare policy of financial support in the aim of providing cheap accommodation for lower income groups, the recipient priority of subsidy is fairly controlled by a close evaluation of income level, and they give a lot of favors to the selected applicants who are in need of the subsidy. Especially, the mortgage system in U.S.A., the assessment method of rental in West Germany, and the positive housing policy for rented accommodation in Singapore can be a good guideline for establishing the effective and rational rental housing policy.
In conclusion, the policy for escalating the supply of rental housing can be set up with the public and private sectors. In the public sector, it is desirable for the local autonomous entity and the Korea Housing Corporation to take charge of their role respectively. The former had better take charge of the rental housing for lowest-income groups and the latter had better take share in the rental housing for low and middle income classes. It would be helpful to stabilize the housing problem of homeless low income groups, if the religious body or the social work organization take part in the rental housing projects under the social housing concept. In the private sector, it is required that an environment for investment be produced, a cause of declining an asset value be removed and a plan of promoting profitability be devised. Moreover, for the dwelling stability of low income groups, We have to set the range of homeless class discreetly, and there is a necessity for rebuilding or reorganization of under-developed urban areas, but it is time that the reevalution of housing project is requird.
Through the reappraisal of above mentioned problems and under a comprehensive strategy of identifying the class which have to receive the subsidy, preparing the system of protecting damage of tenants, supporting the self-help housing enlargement, reorganizing the sale in lots policy in public sector, developing the financial aid and tax-relief for welfare recipients, the government housing policy should be formed progressively in order to achieve the dwelling stability of low-income classes.