2026 Elections: Chiang proposes easing urban renewal threshold; Shen questions bottlenecks

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣 萬安) proposed easing requirements for city assistance with urban renewal yesterday, while Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), his election challenger, said the changes would not resolve bottlenecks preventing projects from reaching construction.

Chiang, of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said the initial support threshold under a city-led renewal program would fall from 75 percent to 50 percent. Once more than half of residents express interest, officials would help calculate redevelopment options.

The change would allow the city to assist difficult projects at an earlier stage, Chiang said. The change would apply only to the initial stage of municipal assistance, not to approval for construction to begin.

A composite image shows Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, left, and Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen in undated photographs.

Photo: Taipei Times

He also proposed conditionally raising the base floor area ratio from 225 percent to 300 percent for sites of at least 3,000 square meters near MRT stations or waterfronts that incorporate public facilities. The ratio measures permitted floor space relative to a site’s land area, with a higher ratio allowing more development.

Shen yesterday said that allowing more projects into the process would achieve little unless obstacles to starting construction were addressed. He compared the situation to a hospital accepting more registrations without resolving problems preventing patients from receiving urgent treatment.

His forthcoming proposals would address stalled renewal projects, accelerate redevelopment and offer additional incentives, Shen said.

Responding later yesterday, Chiang said the city planned to add 105 permanent positions at its urban regeneration office to accelerate project reviews.