What is Social Housing?
Social housing consists of properties built or acquired by the government and rented out at below-market rents. The main goal is to provide safe, affordable housing for people who cannot afford adequate private market housing — including low-income families, young people, single-parent families, and others.
Can foreigners apply? (read this first)
The primary applicant must be an adult Taiwanese (ROC) national (Social Housing Rental Regulations §17). If you are in Taiwan on a work or student visa, you generally cannot apply on your own. Foreigners can be counted as household members of a citizen applicant — so a new immigrant household typically applies with the Taiwanese spouse as the applicant and the foreign spouse listed as a family member. You also need household registration (設籍) in the city, or to work or study there. Not sure how this applies to you? Call 1990 (24h, Chinese/English/Japanese) or the local housing bureau.
How Much is the Rent?
Social housing rent is typically 60%–80% of market rent, depending on the location, unit size, and the applicant's qualifications.
Example (Taipei City):
- Market rent NT$20,000 → Social housing rent approximately NT$12,000–NT$16,000
Who Can Apply?
Applicants are sorted by priority:
First Priority (reserved quota):
- Low-income and near-low-income households
- Persons with disabilities
- Adults aged 65 and above
- Single-parent families
- Families protected by domestic violence restraining orders
General Applications:
- No existing home ownership
- Meets income and assets requirements
- Registered or employed in the application county/city
How to Apply
- Watch for rental announcement notices from city/county governments or the Urban Renewal and Housing Agency
- Prepare: ID card, household registration booklet, income and assets documentation, proof of special status (if applicable)
- Submit online or in person
- Allocation by lottery or ranking order
- After selection, sign the lease and pay rent monthly
Key Information Platforms
- Ministry of the Interior Social Housing Information Portal: Consolidated nationwide social housing information
- Taiwan Social Housing: Find rental announcements by county/city
- Official housing bureau websites for each city/county
Important Notes
- Social housing uses fixed-term leases, typically 1–3 years, renewable per applicable rules
- Subletting or allowing others to reside in the unit is prohibited
- Rules vary slightly by county/city — refer to each rental announcement
- Units are limited; popular locations often have waiting lists