Taipei City Construction Management Office

Organization: Taipei City Construction Management Office Section: User Permit SectionPress Release Date: 2014-6-23Press Release from Taipei City Construction Management OfficePress Release Unit: Taipei City Construction Management OfficePress Release Date: 2014-6-23Contact: Assistant Chief Engineer, Chiu, Ying-CheTel.: 1999 ex. 8346; 0936-772-225Taipei City leads nation in subsidizing improvements for access-free facilities in existing residences To alleviate funding pressures on Taipei citizens to improve access-free facilities, Taipei City leads the nation in announcing an "execution plan for access-free facilities improvements cost subsidy in existing Taipei City residences", where 45% of the improvement costs are subsidized by the city government.Director of Construction Management Office, Chang Kang-Wei, stated that Condominium over six floors or below five floors with more than 50 households fall in the "public building" category. According to the provisions, outdoor pathways, ramps and handrails on refuge floors, refuge floor entrances and exits, lift equipment and other access-free facilities should be improved and set to accommodate people with mobility problems, the elderly, pregnant women, people pushing baby carriages, shopping trolleys, even temporarily injured people with limited mobility. From 2014 onwards, the Construction Management Office is conducting annual checks on access-free facility conditions in "Condominium category" public buildings in the city. Now an improvement grant program has been launched in order to reduce funding pressure on citizens when improving access-free facilities.Chang Kang-Wei stressed that, in order to enable the citizens to better understand subsidies available for improving access-free facilities, the Construction Management Office and Taiwan Architecture & Building Center organized a "advocacy explanation session for subsidies to improve access-free facilities in existing Taipei City housing" at RB auditorium, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (No.43, Keelung Road, Daan District, Sec. 4, this City) at 9:30 AM on June 25, 2014, which provided the latest and most accurate information regarding access-free laws, as well as the most detailed subsidy application processes. People in need can contact the Taiwan Architecture & Building Center directly to enroll and participate (fax: 02-2759-5772; Email: yayi,tabc.org.tw ). Relevant information is available at the Taipei City Construction Management Office website and advocacy network concerning the subsidy for improving access-free facilities in existing Taipei City housing http://60.251.243.40/atbc_acc/ .