Table of Contents
- Vacant Houses Reborn as Spaces for Communities
- Yeongdo-gu: Remodeling Vacant Houses into Dormitories for Foreign Students
- Dong-gu: Transforming Hazardous Vacant Lots into a Sports Park
- Establishing Expertise and Evaluation Basis for the Public-Private Consultative Body
- Project Implementation Schedule and Expected Outcomes
Vacant Houses Reborn as Spaces for Communities
The city of Busan has selected the final target sites for the 'Vacant House Purchase and Development of Social Infrastructure (SOC)' project to prevent urban slum and improve living conditions. This project focuses on transforming vacant houses into rental housing, sports parks, etc., rather than simply demolishing or leaving them abandoned, aiming to provide tangible benefits to local residents.
The city finalized four out of ten target sites solicited from 16 districts and counties through evaluations by a public-private consultative body for vacant house management in March. This initiative is one of the implementation plans of the 'Innovative Measures for Vacant House Management' announced last November, and is gaining attention as a new model for renovating underutilized vacant houses into living SOC.
Such efforts are expected to enhance the quality of life for residents and contribute to the revitalization of local communities.
Yeongdo-gu: Remodeling Vacant Houses into Dormitories for Foreign Students
In Yeongdo-gu, a project is underway to purchase two vacant houses located in Dongsam-dong and Cheonghak-dong and transform them into dormitories for foreign students.
Busan City, Yeongdo-gu, and Korea Maritime and Ocean University have collaborated to identify suitable sites, which will help solve housing issues for foreign students and contribute to the revitalization of the local community.
This initiative is anticipated to offer a global living environment that will support Busan's status as an international city beyond just providing housing.
Dong-gu: Transforming Hazardous Vacant Lots into a Sports Park
Two dilapidated vacant houses in Sujeong-dong, Dong-gu, will be demolished to create a small sports park. This area has faced significant risks of building collapse and crime, prompting residents to repeatedly call for improvement.
The newly created sports park will be equipped with various exercise equipment, allowing local residents to enhance their health and utilize the space as a community area.
These efforts by Dong-gu to ensure resident safety and transform idle spaces into local welfare facilities are expected to serve as good examples for other regions in the future.
Establishing Expertise and Evaluation Basis for the Public-Private Consultative Body
The 'Public-Private Consultative Body for Vacant House Management' that conducted this evaluation consists of nine members, including academics and real estate experts. Professor Woo Shin-gu, the city’s chief architect, serves as the chair of the body.
This team will play a crucial role in proposing various policies and conducting evaluations and discoveries related to solving vacant house issues.
Project Implementation Schedule and Expected Outcomes
This project will be carried out from January to December 2025 and is expected to cost a total of 1.4 billion won, with a funding ratio of 7:3 between city and district budgets.
After purchasing the vacant houses, remodeling or demolition will take place through appraisals and property reviews, and based on this, the development of living SOC will commence in earnest.
Several expected outcomes from this project include addressing issues in areas densely populated with vacant houses and preventing slum conditions. Additionally, by expanding public infrastructure needed for local residents, quality of life can be improved. Finally, it will help lay the foundation for sustainable urban management for future generations.
The issue of vacant houses has now emerged as a significant concern related to the sustainability, safety, and housing welfare of urban areas, rather than being limited to specific regions. This Busan initiative is seen as an important first step toward creating a virtuous cycle in urban spaces and is expected to be regarded as a good practice providing new directions for utilizing vacant houses in the future.
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