Suwon-Type Small-Scale Housing Maintenance Management Area Candidate Sites Open for Applications Starting August 10

Suwon City in Gyeonggi Province will begin accepting applications for candidates for its "Suwon-Type Small-Scale Housing Maintenance Management Area (Saebit Town)" starting from August 10, 2026, as part of efforts to improve the residential environment in aging low-rise housing areas.

The contest is open to areas of 30,000 square meters or less that have a ratio of more than 50% for old or substandard buildings. Consent is required from at least 50% of both the number of land and property owners and the land area, as well as from at least 30% of each project implementation area.

The project implementation area must be enclosed by urban planning roads at least 4 meters wide, and each candidate site must consist of no more than two such areas. For areas that meet the consent rate for the establishment of a cooperative, certain requirements such as area can be relaxed in accordance with relevant regulations.

This year, the maximum eligible area for participation has been expanded from 20,000 square meters to 30,000 square meters to lower the barrier for applicants. Additional selection requirements concerning housing density, number of housing units, undersized lots, and housing-to-road contact ratio have been eliminated as well.

Suwon-Type Small-Scale Housing Maintenance Management Area Contest Announcement Poster

Areas that have either applied for or been selected as candidates for public redevelopment, or redevelopment and reconstruction projects are excluded from the contest. Collaboration with relevant departments is required in advance for projects located in urban regeneration zones, national heritage preservation areas, and historical/cultural environment conservation zones.

Suwon City will evaluate the residential consent rate, the degree of aging, the urgency of maintenance, and the area’s suitability, and will select up to three sites. The final selection is scheduled for February 2027. For the regions selected, Suwon City will support the formulation of management plans, while Gyeonggi Province will grant approval and public notification, after which each small-scale housing maintenance project can proceed individually.

Designation as a Saebit Town will allow the project duration to be shortened by approximately 2 to 4 years compared to existing maintenance projects thanks to simplified administrative procedures. Benefits will also include mitigation of additional costs due to the supply of rental housing, relaxation of floor area ratio requirements for the construction of infrastructure and rental housing, and financial support for the establishment of management plans.

A Suwon city official said, "By expanding the eligible area and relaxing application requirements, we have enabled more aging low-rise residential areas to participate," adding, "We will actively support the prompt advancement of resident-led maintenance projects."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.