The main point of this article:
The reasons for developing social housing vary from country to country, and different communities have developed different appearances depending on the era and national conditions. Affordable rent, protection of housing rights, aesthetically pleasing architecture, and communities with overall planning, surrounding facilities, and convenient living functions have the opportunity to rewrite people’s expectations of the rental market. Social housing has become a new choice that balances economics, housing, and convenience for the public.

To solve the difficulties of high housing prices and high rent in Taiwan in the past decade, the government has implemented many policies, such as rent subsidies and property management. In mid-February, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finance even developed “right-to-use housing” in the hope of alleviating the housing anxiety of young generations and families who cannot afford to buy houses due to the pressure of life and rent or mortgages. However, problems such as the low-wage and long working hours of the labor ecology, inflation-driven price increases, commuting life forced by high housing prices, and aging society are caused by elderly living alone. The rapid development of society has brought significant changes to our lives compared to those of our parent’s generation.

I remember renting a house with a limited budget in the suburbs with my friends a few years ago when I first came to Taipei. In addition to the cold in winter and the heat in summer, commuting for 1-2 hours was a daily routine. After deducting the rent and filial piety fees every month, there was almost no money left. Even the rent subsidies could not be applied for due to the nature of the house.

After receiving the monthly salary, I sighed at the salary that was almost gone after deducting the fixed expenses of rent and utilities. I felt exhausted when I got on the last train back home at 11 pm, thinking about catching the first train at 6 am tomorrow. Looking at the lives of many friends around me, the originally manageable living space for two people became chaotic and embarrassing due to the birth of a child.
Can we afford the rent, convenient living functions, and even good community relations?

Or should we just sleep and have everything in our dreams?

Social Housing: A New Choice for Urban Living

Let’s imagine for a moment: during that period when funds were tight and barely enough to get by (perhaps now, or maybe those first few years after entering the workforce), there were several options for housing:

• Option 1: A small shared room that requires sharing a bathroom with others. The room is cramped and poorly soundproofed, and conversations can be heard through the walls. It takes 15 minutes to commute to work.
• Option 2: An old, run-down studio apartment that barely leaves enough money for one meal a day. Any additional expenses will result in exceeding the budget. It takes 15 minutes to commute to work.
• Option 3: A rooftop apartment with unstable water pressure, old pipes, and poor insulation. It takes 30 minutes to commute to work.
• Option 4: A comfortable independent apartment, but it takes 1.5 hours to commute to work, and when working overtime, one must race to catch the last train.

These options can be quite daunting. Perhaps we might ask more questions, such as: How is the transportation in the area? Is there a faster way to travel? Can I cook for myself? Are there markets nearby? How far away is the city center?…

In this “limited” situation, careful consideration is needed to weigh the pros and cons. Each decision requires a lot of thought and effort, which can wear away at one’s focus and energy. If there are any changes in career or relationships (such as transfer, resignation, dating, marriage, etc.), the same cycle will have to be repeated. The mutual constraints and entanglements are likely to result in a state of compromise and stagnation.

However, what if there was a fifth option, where for the same cost, one could rent a comfortable independent apartment with convenient transportation, excellent living facilities, a friendly and supportive community, and plenty of fun community activities? Wouldn’t it be a dream come true?

This fifth option may be social housing.

What is Social Housing?

To understand the meaning of social housing, we can use the deconstruction method mentioned at the beginning of Chapter 1 of “Not Just a House” and break it down into two terms: “social” and “housing.”

【Social】: Based on the actual cost that residents can afford, not based on market pricing.
For example, in Taipei, the rent for social housing is about 80% of the market price without considering any subsidies or identity; if it meets the Taipei City social housing rent subsidy system, residents can rent social housing at 50-70% of the market price.

【Housing】: Only rental housing, with ownership belonging to the government or private developers who receive government support. Residents pay rent or other fees to live in these units. This is different from the “for sale” national housing option in the 1950s, or the “rental” national housing option in the 1980s which was considered a social assistance measure.

Enrique Peñalosa, the former mayor of Bogota, advocates that cities should not only be seen as engines for creating wealth, but also as organic systems that promote the well-being of people. The reasons for developing social housing in each country are different, and different community models are developed in response to the background of the times and national conditions. After experiencing various ineffective housing policies, a malfunctioning housing market, and a high housing price crisis, Taiwan has finally begun planning for social housing.

Although Taiwan’s development in this area has been relatively late compared to other countries, it can learn from more cases and be more cautious. Affordable rent, 3-12 years of housing tenure security, aesthetically pleasing architectural spaces, and community properties that have been planned as a whole, surrounding facilities, and convenient living functions have the opportunity to rewrite people’s expectations for the rental housing market. “Social housing” has become a new option that takes into account the economy, living, and convenience for the public.