Taipei City Geotechnical Engineering Office

Taipei City Government has agreed on land resumption of Chientan Youth Activity Center and will continue the lease according to law
 
Regarding the rent of Chientan Youth Activity Center, there may be misunderstandings. The Geotechnical Engineering Office, Public Works Department of Taipei City Government has specially stated that the state-owned property land is subject to the rent based on a 5% annual interest rate. The Ministry of the Interior recognizes that the land for non-business use should charge 60%, while the rest for business purposes should rent at a 160% surcharge. At present, the land lease is subject to collect the rent continuously in accordance with the law.
 
Before the year of 1988, China Youth Corps (CYC) legally obtained about 65% of the property rights of Chientan Youth Activity Center, whereas the state-owned property accounted for 35%. The buildings were located in about 15 areas on No.676, 6th Subsection of Bailing Section, Shilin District, Taipei City, and were co-managed by the National Property Administration, Taiwan Railways Administration, and Taipei City Government.
 
Taipei City Government has collected the annual rents from CYC since 1993. Yet, the social transformation and public justice has been highly addressed in recent years. Taipei City Government considered the land resumption in 2016. According to the law, the appeal of building relocation becomes a must. However, the other two parties, the National Property Administration and Taiwan Railways Administration, have lease contracts with CYC until 2019 and 2020. Moreover, the building groups cannot be torn down separately. Even if 65% of the CYC-owned buildings are dismantled, the rest must be demolished as well due to the structural damage, yet the destruction of state-owned property is not feasible.
 
In order to solve this historical issue which has been left for decades and smoothly execute the transformation as well as take into account the best interests of the city and the citizens, Taipei City Government signed an agreement with CYC in September 2016 that the property rights of the building will be an uncompensated transfer to Taipei City Government in the end of 2024. When this time comes, the buildings will be estimated at the market value of NT$267.21 million by three real estate appraisers. On the other hand, CYC still has to pay rent for the use of business purposes, approximately NT$16 million per year. A total of 8 years' land lease can bring in more than NT$100 million to Taipei City Government.
 
For the sake of citizens' welfare, Taipei City Government has taken back the partial lands and turned it into a recreational area for residents. CYC is required to dismantle the fence and be responsible for maintenance and greening. Nowadays, the large lawn and the round-the-lake trail are open to public. The newspaper rack which has been set up in the reading room on the first floor of the Education Building is open publicly. Citizens and tourists are all welcome to use the recreation resources in Yuanshan Scenic Area.
 
CYC currently pays the rent of Chientan Youth Activity Center on the state-owned property land, which is based on a 5% annual interest rate regulated in "Rent Criteria of State-owned Property Land Ordinance" revised on April 1, 2018. Moreover, CYC is recognized as a public welfare group by the Ministry of the Interior. Its land for non-business use should be charged 60% while the rest for business purposes should be calculated at a 160% surcharge. The monthly rent is about NT$1.38 million, roughly equal to NT$246 per ping. The rent calculation is in accordance with the law and is not below the criteria so as to keep the best interests and welfare of the city and the public.
 
Facing the problem is the first step to solving the problem. Under the harmonious negotiation, it is a three-way win solution for Taipei City Government, the citizens and CYC. It avoids long-term litigation which may take time and result in a less-than-ideal conclusion.