Housing Stability Plan: 1.19M Homes, Universal Rental Rules

The Housing Stability Plan aims to supply 1,188,000 public housing units from 2026 to 2030. It introduces universal public rental housing that extends eligibility to the middle class, but income and asset caps and rents must be confirmed in later announcements.

The Housing Stability Plan aims to supply 1,188,000 publicly supported homes by 2030. It also introduces universal public rental housing for the middle class. However, the income ceiling and rents will need to be checked in a later announcement.

The supply figures are based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s announcement on September 21, 2026.

Supply under the Housing Stability Plan

The nationwide supply target for 2026 to 2030 is 1,188,000 homes. The approximately 1.19 million homes cited in the announcement is a rounded figure. The capital region has been allocated 917,000 homes.

Publicly supported housing is the total of public housing for sale and rental housing included in this plan. It does not mean only rental housing operated by public agencies. It also includes publicly supported private rental housing supplied and operated by private businesses.

Supply type 2026 to 2030 target Supply method
Public housing for sale 243,000 homes Homes supplied by the public sector are sold
Newly built rental housing 350,000 homes The public sector builds homes and rents them out
Purchased rental housing 313,000 homes The public sector buys new or existing homes and rents them out
Jeonse rental housing 230,000 homes The public sector signs jeonse leases with homeowners, then sublets the homes to residents
Publicly supported private rental housing 52,000 homes Private businesses receiving public support rent out homes
Total 1,188,000 homes Planned supply counted at different stages depending on the type

The public rental housing target, combining newly built, purchased, and jeonse rental housing, is 893,000 homes. The public housing for sale target is 243,000 homes, not 243,000 homes. The figures by type follow the supply table in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s detailed plan. (Verified figures for 2026 to 2030: 350,000 newly built rental homes, 313,000 purchased rental homes, 230,000 jeonse rental homes, 52,000 publicly supported private rental homes, and 243,000 public homes for sale; total 1,188,000 homes · source korea.kr · checked 2026-09-21) Detailed Housing Stability Plan

The difference between supply targets and move-in schedules

Do not read the entire supply target as new apartments ready for occupancy. Newly built housing is counted when construction starts. Purchased housing includes purchase agreements and other arrangements. Jeonse rental housing uses existing homes.

Announced figure Period Meaning
1,188,000 homes 2026 to 2030 Supply target covering construction starts, purchases, agreements, contracts, and other stages
Approximately 240,000 homes a year on average 2026 to 2030 The total supply target expressed as an annual average
Approximately 150,000 homes nationwide Fourth quarter of 2026 to end of 2027 A separate government estimate of homes scheduled for occupancy
Approximately 100,000 homes in the capital region Fourth quarter of 2026 to end of 2027 The capital region’s share of homes scheduled for occupancy

The annual average of approximately 240,000 homes does not mean that many homes will be ready for occupancy each year. The comparison with the recent 10-year average of 160,000 homes a year is also based on supply measures such as construction starts. The government described the target as an increase of approximately 50%.

If you need to move soon, check the scheduled move-in date in each recruitment notice. Housing scheduled for occupancy from 2028 onward is expected to be announced each year through the Comprehensive Housing Plan. Official announcements also distinguish supply targets from homes scheduled for occupancy. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport policy explanation

Eligibility for universal public rental housing

Universal public rental housing is a new type that extends eligibility to the middle class. The plan is to set higher income and asset limits than under existing programs. Specific ceilings were still under review when the plan was announced.

The following wording appears on page 11 of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s detailed Housing Stability Plan.

Details on who can move in, eligibility criteria such as income and assets, the rent structure, and the residency period will be announced within the year after sufficient consultation and other steps

Here, “within the year” means 2026, the year of the announcement. A figure of 180 to 200% of standard median income cannot be used as a confirmed eligibility threshold. It is also difficult to determine eligibility from annual income alone. Check both the later criteria and the actual recruitment notice.

Item Direction announced on September 21, 2026 What to check later
Income and assets Considering higher limits than for current public rental housing Amounts by household size and calculation methods
Target group Priority allocation of at least 50% to young people aged 19 to 39 Detailed priority eligibility and selection methods
Regional adjustment The youth priority allocation share can be adjusted up to 70% Share applied by region and project
Rent Intended to be set below nearby market rates Deposits, monthly rent, and income-based adjustments
Residency period A proposed basic period of 6 years, up to 20 years Conditions for renewing leases and extending residency

The name “universal” does not mean everyone can move in. The announcement says the housing is intended for people who need a home and do not own one. Do not read the maximum residency period as a period guaranteed from the day you move in.

Size and quality of universal public rental housing

The plan is to offer universal public rental homes of different sizes depending on location. Not every home will have 85㎡ of exclusive-use floor space. The aim is to improve layouts and finishes to reach the quality of privately developed housing.

Supply category Announced direction for exclusive-use floor space What to keep in mind
Developed housing sites Mainly 55 to 85㎡ Check the mix of unit sizes in each complex
Urban areas Mainly 40 to 60㎡ The size range differs from homes on developed housing sites
One-person young adult households At least 30㎡ in principle Less than 30㎡ may be possible in central urban locations with high rents

The proposed layout improvements include three-bay and four-bay designs. “Bay” describes how spaces are arranged along the front of a home. It does not mean three or four bedrooms. Check the floor plan for each unit type to see the number of bedrooms.

The announced supply target for universal public rental housing is approximately 190,000 homes. The detailed plan lists 175,000 newly built homes and 18,000 purchased homes. Together, those figures total 193,000 homes, which are included in the overall supply target.

Common mistakes about income and rent

Do not apply one income limit or rent rate to all public rental housing. Existing programs also have different conditions depending on the housing type and target group. Do not treat estimates for universal public rental housing as rules currently in force.

Common interpretation What to distinguish
All existing public rental housing has an income limit of at most 150% of median income Income measures and limits differ by program
Meeting the monthly or annual income requirement is enough to move in Check other requirements in the notice, including assets and not owning a home
Rent for universal public rental housing has been fixed at 70 to 80% of market rates The announcement sets out a direction to charge less than market rates
Rent for all existing public rental housing is 30 to 50% of market rates Rent structures differ by housing type and income bracket
Approximately 190,000 universal public rental homes are added to the approximately 1.19 million homes Universal public rental housing is included in the overall plan
Public housing for sale is always 20 to 30% cheaper than market prices Check the actual sale price and conditions in each project notice

Standard median income and the average monthly income of urban workers are also different measures. The same percentage does not mean the same income amount. When applying, first check which measure the notice uses.

The annual supply schedule behind the average

The supply targets increase toward the end of the plan. Looking only at the annual average makes it easy to miss this difference. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s targets by year are as follows.

Year Nationwide supply target Capital region supply target
2026 187,000 homes 142,000 homes
2027 218,000 homes 164,000 homes
2028 225,000 homes 170,000 homes
2029 240,000 homes 200,000 homes
2030 318,000 homes 241,000 homes

The targets for 2029 and 2030 total 558,000 homes. That is approximately 47.0% of the overall target of 1,188,000 homes. This percentage is calculated directly from the annual figures in the detailed plan.

Delivery in the later years will therefore have a major effect on whether the overall target is met. The year with a high construction-start target may also differ from the year when more homes become ready for occupancy. For planning a move, the schedule for the particular complex is more useful than the annual average.

Support to check by household circumstances

Alongside the introduction of universal public rental housing, the plan expands support for existing target groups. The program to check first depends on your household circumstances. The following items are announced policy directions, not conditions that have all taken effect.

Household circumstances Supply target through 2030 or direction of support What to check
Unmarried young adults 243,000 publicly supported homes; expanded monthly rent support for young people Notices for young people and the start date of each program
Newly married households and households raising children 328,000 publicly supported homes; housing designed for child-rearing and support for moving to a different unit size Marriage and childbirth requirements and income limits
Older households 54,000 publicly supported homes; senior-friendly housing and home repair support Housing and services suited to age and health
Households in insecure housing Expanded housing benefits; help for residents of jjokbang rooms and gosiwon residences to move Conditions for housing benefits and assistance with moving to better housing
Current public rental housing residents Reconstruction, remodeling, and facility improvements Plans for moving, returning, and rent at each complex

The supply targets by household group describe how the overall supply is allocated among target groups. Adding them again to the figures by supply type above would double-count them. If you need support now, start by checking recruitment notices for programs already operating.

Changes to existing rental housing and tenant protections

In addition to new supply, the plan includes improvements to existing housing. Aging public rental housing will be rebuilt or remodeled according to circumstances. The government also plans to revise rules on maintenance fees and rental guarantees.

The government plans to introduce a publicly supported private rental model that operates for at least 20 years. It also aims to encourage long-term operation of existing 10-year rentals. Check the relevant notice and contract for the period that applies to an individual lease.

Questions about delivery and support for vulnerable households

Whether the planned housing is delivered depends on land, construction costs, funding, and the conditions under which projects are carried out. The plan needs to secure both desirable locations and high quality. The announced figures alone cannot establish how quickly homes will actually be supplied.

Restructuring LH is also among the planned measures. The plan proposes establishing an organization tentatively called the Housing and Urban Asset Corporation. The idea is to separate the housing welfare function into its own organization. Do not treat the organization’s name or completion of the restructuring as settled facts.

Views also differ on whether support for vulnerable households is sufficient. The government said it would expand the supply of integrated public rental housing as well. Civil society groups said the support for vulnerable households lacked specifics. That assessment was raised at a roundtable on October 1, 2026. Yonhap News Agency’s report on the roundtable

To assess progress, it helps to look at these items separately.

What to check before applying

Actual applications must be assessed against each project’s resident recruitment notice. The Housing Stability Plan is not itself an application notice. Checking in the following order can help you distinguish the plan from current application conditions.

  1. Find notices for the area where you want to live on the MyHome Portal or LH Cheongyak Plus.
  2. Check the housing type, such as universal public rental housing, integrated public rental housing, or purchased rental housing.
  3. Check the requirements for not owning a home, income, assets, and household members as of the notice date.
  4. Add maintenance fees to the deposit and monthly rent to assess whether you can afford the total.
  5. Check the application period, required documents, and scheduled move-in date before applying.

The government is also pursuing an integrated waiting-list system that connects application procedures across housing providers. Under the plan, it is scheduled for a pilot in 2027 and operation from 2028. The goal is to shorten the resident selection period from approximately 150 days to 40 days. This does not mean applying now will let you move in within 40 days.

FAQ

What is the exact supply target of the Housing Stability Plan?

The target is 1,188,000 publicly supported homes nationwide from 2026 to 2030. About 1.19 million homes is a rounded figure. The target for the Seoul metropolitan area is 917,000 homes.

Will people be able to move into all 1,188,000 homes by 2030?

The figure does not mean that people will have moved into all the homes. The supply target includes construction starts, purchase agreements, purchases, and jeonse rental contracts. Check the announcement for each project for the actual move-in date.

Can middle-income households apply for universal public rental housing?

The plan aims to expand eligibility to include middle-income households. However, when the plan was announced on September 21, 2026, specific income and asset limits were still under review. Check the subsequent criteria and recruitment notices to confirm eligibility.

Am I eligible to move in if my income is at most 200% of the standard median income?

That cannot be treated as a criterion that was finalized at the time of the announcement. You should not determine eligibility by applying a threshold of 180% to 200% of the standard median income. You must also check detailed requirements concerning assets and homeownership.

Will rents for universal public rental housing be 70% to 80% of market rates?

That range was not a finalized criterion in the September 21, 2026 announcement. The official plan says rents will be set below prevailing local rates. Check subsequent announcements and recruitment notices for the actual deposits and monthly rents.

Will all universal public rental homes have 85㎡ of usable floor area?

Not all homes will have the same floor area. The plan proposes mainly 55 to 85㎡ of usable floor area on housing development sites and 40 to 60㎡ in urban areas. Check the recruitment notice for the floor areas offered at each housing complex.

Are the approximately 190,000 universal public rental homes added to the overall supply target?

They are included in the overall publicly supported housing supply target. Adding them separately would count them twice. The detailed plan lists 175,000 newly built homes and 18,000 purchased homes, totaling 193,000.

Will existing public rental housing support be discontinued?

There is no plan to discontinue existing support. The government will continue supplying integrated public rental housing while improving aging rental homes. The plan also includes expanding housing benefits and relocation support for housing-vulnerable households.

Is 20 years of residence guaranteed in universal public rental housing?

The announcement proposed a basic residence period of 6 years and a maximum of 20 years. It also stated that details of the residence period would be announced after gathering feedback. Check the subsequent criteria for the actual conditions for renewing or extending a lease.

Where can I apply for the Housing Stability Plan?

There is no single application for the entire Housing Stability Plan. Check My Home Portal or LH Subscription Plus for recruitment notices for individual projects. Apply through the organization and application channel specified in the notice.

Will I be able to move in within 40 days if I use the integrated waiting list system?

The 40-day figure is a target for shortening the resident selection period. It is not the time until you can move in. Under the plan, the system is scheduled for pilot operation in 2027 and regular operation from 2028.

Sources

Images

A woman in a blue jacket looks toward unfinished apartment buildings and a crane beyond a construction fence.
A woman in a blue jacket looks toward unfinished apartment buildings and a crane beyond a construction fence.
A father folds bedding while his child studies at the table, with autumn trees and apartments outside.
A father folds bedding while his child studies at the table, with autumn trees and apartments outside.