10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
[004] The achievements and limits of anti-gentrification rent-control policy: Case of Seongdong-gu,Seoul
Keywords:commercial gentrification, local government, rent-control, win-win agreement, anti-gentrification ordinance
In Korea, anti-gentrification policies are pursued at both the national and local levels to minimize its negative effects. Seongdong-gu, one of the twenty-five districts of Seoul, was the first in Korea to create a policy to prevent displacement due to gentrification. It established anti-gentrification ordinances, facilitated the signing of a win-win agreement between landlords and tenants, and provided commercial spaces that are rent-controlled. This paper provides a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of sixteen of these commercial spaces, called Ansimsanga, using big data visualization at street level and interviews with tenants before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ansimsangas are a good example of demonstrating the achievements and limitations of public intervention in the market economy. Seongdong Ansimsanga has received positive reviews, as tenants are highly satisfied regarding the provision of long-term, rent-controlled spaces. However, there is dissatisfaction regarding the location and adequacy of facilities, standards for rent, unequal policy benefits focused on specific groups of people, and lack of long-term economic sustainability.