The National Housing Authority is continuing its policy to assist low-income individuals and vulnerable groups by accelerating the reclamation of rental buildings from the private sector, with a total of 32,632 units expected to be reclaimed by 2022. The aim is to reduce costs and improve the quality of life for residents.

          Mr. Thavipong Vichaidit, Governor of the National Housing Authority, stated that following the policy to reclaim rental buildings from the private sector for management by the National Housing Authority, as directed by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, there is an urgent need for government agencies to assist the public due to the widespread economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of Social Development and Human Security, Mr. Juti Krairerk, has therefore assigned the National Housing Authority to proceed with the reclamation of rental buildings from the private sector to help low-income individuals.

Currently, the National Housing Authority is in the process of reclaiming rental buildings from the private sector, categorizing the reclamation into 2 groups and 4 types.

Group 1: Private companies with expired contracts is divided into 2 types:

            1. Those with outstanding debts where the National Housing Authority has issued a notice to settle debts and hand over the premises within 30 days from the date the company receives the notice.

            2. Those without outstanding debts where the National Housing Authority has issued a notice to return the premises due to non-renewal of the contract, also within 30 days from the date the company receives the notice.

Group 2: Private companies under contract is divided into 2 types:

            1. Those with outstanding debts where a notice of contract termination is issued with a 30-day period to settle debts and return the premises, counted from the date the company receives the notice.

            2. Those without outstanding debts where the premises will be reclaimed due to non-renewal of the contract, counted from the contract expiration date plus 30 days.

The goal is to reclaim rental buildings from private companies under 60 contracts, totaling 32,632 units. This includes plans to reclaim buildings from major private companies under 35 contracts, totaling 29,966 units, and from smaller companies under 25 contracts, totaling 2,666 units.

            To date, the National Housing Authority has reclaimed rental buildings under 2 contracts, namely the Nawamin Community Housing Project and the O-Ngern Community Housing Project, and has continuously reclaimed buildings from private companies, totaling 49 contracts, with plans to complete the process by December 31, 2022. Currently, contracts with individual tenants in the projects are being finalized.

The process of reclaiming rental buildings consists of 4 steps: 1. Public awareness campaigns targeting the intended groups, 2. Contract signing, 3. Payment collection with a one-day prior notice, allowing payment verification through the system. If payment is not made, a reminder will be sent from the call center the following day, after which debt collection will commence, and 4. Community management, employing residents for roles such as cleaning staff, security, administrative work, and technicians.

 

          Residents living in the rental buildings will benefit financially and in terms of quality of life, as rental costs will be reduced for residents by 10-40%. Electricity costs will decrease as they will be billed directly by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (currently, private companies handle electricity billing). Water charges will be calculated at rates for low-income individuals in cases where the National Housing Authority is a party to the contract with the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, and garbage collection services will be provided free of charge.

            In terms of quality of life, there will be 24-hour security, regular cleaning of common areas, and ongoing maintenance. Inspections will be conducted periodically to develop and repair various facilities to keep them in good condition, including improving the environment within the projects and increasing green spaces such as parks and playgrounds. Importantly, job opportunities will be created for residents to participate in community care, fostering a sense of belonging and providing stable income to support their families. Additionally, there will be daily coordination for receiving complaints.

When the National Housing Authority takes back the rental buildings previously leased to private companies, it will be able to respond promptly to the needs of the public in situations similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also reduce rental burdens for low-income individuals and increase the National Housing Authority's revenue. Most importantly, it will allow the National Housing Authority to improve and repair living accommodations and enhance the environment within the projects, thereby elevating the quality of life and living conditions for low-income individuals.