News

    On the May-17 plenary interpellation session convened by the Nantou County Council, Councilors Tsai Tsung-Chih, Shi Ching-Lung, Lin Fang-Yu, Hsiao Chih-Chuan and Tzeng Jen-Yan all showed concern for the youth housing construction. County Magistrate Lin Ming-Chen stated that the County Government has taken 3 pieces of county-owned lands into consideration and after discussion, found the county-owned land on Wenhua Road most suitable. It has now gone into the planning stage, and a fund of NT$200 million has been raised. The construction will commence by yearend, the earliest.

    For young people to stay in their (Nantou) hometown, the County Government has sought out and identified county-owned lands that are currently located in the County Government directors’ dormitories, Lantian Street and Wenhua Road. The County Government kept down the land cost and lowered the selling price so that young people can afford to buy the land. The land where the directors’ dormitories are situated is too pricy for being in the commercial district, and therefore its housing project is put on hiatus. Lantian Street awaits urban land consolidation before further planning (for youth housing). At present, the land most fitting (for youth housing) is the county-owned land on Wenhua Road in the residential district, measuring 5,100 square meters, expected to accommodate 150 to 200 households.

    To avoid outflows of human capital, County Magistrate Lin stated that to actively develop job opportunities, the County Government has so far planned four industry parks providing several thousands of job opportunities. It is also important to keep working young people staying in Nantou after they get married. Considering the current hefty housing prices, the County Government is active in planning youth housing: the county-owned lands on Wenhua Road are cheaper and given its construction cost, will be kept under NT$5 million (per house) and made affordable for the young people. The NT$200 million construction budget has now been secured by the County Government. Upon completion of planning and design, the construction will commence by yearend, a measure believed to keep more young people living and working in Nantou.

    The Councilor pointed out that the current housing price is easily nearing NT$8 million to NT$9 million, barely affordable to regular young people. To keep them (in Nantou) will require excellent social housing policies, in addition to adequate social welfare, convenient transportation, macro planning and decent neighborhood amenities. Not only is it necessary to create suitable working environments but the youth housing needs to be planned as soon as possible in order for the young people to feel settled in their accommodation and enjoy what they do at work.