Taipei:Mayor Chiang Wan-an has put forward a proposal to lower the requirements for city assistance with urban renewal projects. The suggested change would see the initial support threshold reduced from 75 percent to 50 percent under a city-led renewal program. This means that if more than half of the residents express interest in redevelopment, officials would provide assistance in calculating redevelopment options.

According to Focus Taiwan, the proposed change by Chiang, a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), is intended to allow the city to assist challenging projects at an earlier stage. However, this adjustment would only apply to the initial stage of municipal assistance and not to the approval process for construction to begin.

Chiang also suggested conditionally increasing the base floor area ratio from 225 percent to 300 percent for properties of at least 3,000 square meters near MRT stations or waterfronts that include public facilities. This ratio determines the amount of floor space that can be developed relative to the land area, with a higher ratio permitting more extensive development.

In response, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen, who is also Chiang's election challenger, expressed skepticism about the proposed changes. Shen argued that simply allowing more projects into the renewal process would not address the fundamental obstacles that prevent these projects from progressing to the construction phase. He likened the situation to a hospital accepting more patient registrations without resolving issues that hinder the delivery of urgent treatment.

Shen mentioned that his upcoming proposals would focus on addressing stalled renewal projects, speeding up redevelopment efforts, and providing additional incentives.

Later on Friday, Chiang announced plans to add 105 permanent positions at the city's urban regeneration office to expedite the review process for renewal projects.

Meanwhile, in Kaohsiung, mayoral candidates are actively promoting their campaign events and fundraising initiatives. KMT candidate Ko Chih-en is scheduled to hold a rally in Gangshan District, with several prominent politicians in attendance. DPP candidate Lai Jui-lung has launched fundraising merchandise and is organizing a rally to open his campaign headquarters, with notable political figures expected to attend.