Due to the resumption of face-to-face classes following the stabilization of the COVID-19 situation, there has been an increase in demand for studio apartments near universities, further burdening students with housing expenses. The stability of housi...
Due to the resumption of face-to-face classes following the stabilization of the COVID-19 situation, there has been an increase in demand for studio apartments near universities, further burdening students with housing expenses. The stability of housing for the young population is deteriorating due to a surge in lease scams. Despite the convenient accessibility to transportation, the 2030 Youth Housing policy implemented by the Seoul Metropolitan Government until April 2023 has resulted in inevitably high rental fees. Moreover, the policy tends to exclude student groups who find it difficult to rely on a stable income, including not only students but also young professionals entering society.
As of April 2023, a total of 44,147 units of Youth Housing in transit areas have been supplied, achieving approximately 68% of the policy goal of 65,000 units. However, the distribution of the housing supply has been unrelated to the distribution of the youth population, and although the supply is gradually increasing, including upcoming housing projects, it has been concentrated in specific districts.
In May 2023, the Seoul Metropolitan Government expanded the policy by introducing the concept of "Youth Safe Housing" and adding areas within 50 meters of major roads as new potential locations. However, it is anticipated that achieving the goal of supplying 120,000 units by 2030 will be challenging.
In this study, as a result of analyzing the 136 approved sites and platform separation distances as of March 2023, the average distance of platform separation in the approved sites was 255m.
An analysis of the up-zoning in the approved sites revealed that 113 locations (78%) up-zoning their zoning, with 60% (62 locations) changing from the third and second general residential areas to quasi-residential areas or general commercial areas. In other words, the range of 250 to 350 meters from transit areas lacks areas suitable for up-zoning, and due to concerns such as public complaints, most projects were implemented within the 250-meter range of transit areas.
In May 2023, the Seoul Metropolitan Government reorganized the policy into Youth-Safe Housing and expanded the policy goal by adding 50m along the arterial road as a new locationable area. As a result of analyzing the number of houses that can be supplied according to the policy reorganization, it was analyzed that 62,612 units within 250m of the station area and 4,116 units along the main roads could be supplied. Considering the currently approved 45,120 units, a total of 110,875 units are expected to be supplied, making it difficult to achieve the policy goal. If the station influence area is maintained at 350m, 106,590 units are expected to be supplied, but this cannot be an alternative because the project promotion in the range of 250m to 350m is expected to be low.
The 100m range of the university district proposed in this study consists of 80% of the second general residential area, and it was analyzed that 4,644 units could be supplied assuming that the quasi-residential area is upgraded. However, additional research is needed to block the side effects of the upgrade of the use zone in some areas in low-rise residential areas, and appropriate incentives are needed to promote participation and cooperation of local residents, business operators, and universities around the university.