A planned housing project in Taipei is receiving heat from civil groups and
city councillors.

Councillors from the DPP, TPP, and the Social Democratic Party have all
called on the city government to axe the plan.

It would entail building 725 units near MRT stations around the city.

Several NGOs as well as SDP councillor Miao Poya 苗博雅, DPP councillor Chien
Shu-pei 簡舒培, and TPP councillors Chen You-cheng 陳宥丞 and Huang
Ching-ying 黃(水靜)瑩 held a press conference today...

during which they called on the city government to convert some of the
planned joint development housing into social housing, particularly given the
exorbitant cost of housing in Taipei.

Critics say that the plan actively goes against Mayor Chiang Wan-an's
promises to construct more social housing in Taipei, and may even drive up
the cost of housing in the areas affected.

Councilor Miao Poya noted that the 725 units planned for sale is equal to the
total number of social housing units built during Chiang's 3 years in office.

Meanwhile the MRT said that the plan is necessary to help them pay off
significant debt.

(AH)