노인주거복지정책의 현황과 정책제언

Critical Analysis of Housing Welfare Policies for the Elderly

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique on the current policies on housing welfare for the elderly and analyze the problems to make suggestions for the future policy-making of the field. Korea has experienced unprecedentedly rapid growth of aging population due to the extended life expectancy. Now the number of the elderly living alone reached 1 million, and one-generation households which consist of elderly people only comprise 35% of the whole households. The percentage of the elderly who live in their own housing marks 73.8%, however, they live in old housing and have low income. The elderly who live in rental housing also live in poor conditions of housing, income, and asset. Despite Korean government's efforts to develop policies and establish systems to provide the housing welfare for the elderly, the results have not been very successful. In order to improve housing welfare for the elderly, the following suggestions were made. First, more collaborative partnerships need to be established between government and nongovernment organizations. Second, provision of affordable residential facilities for the elderly should be expanded in the public sector. Third, establishment of an effective management system for the elderly welfare housing is needed. And finally, introduction of housing benefit system to assist the elderly to be better able to pay housing rents and to supplement their living costs.