Evaluation of action in local governments for reducing vacant houses and availability of qualitative system

Abstract

This study explores practical approaches to address future vacant housing problems by investigating various support systems established by local governments in Japan. The investigation aims to clarify the components and application of such countermeasures and identify local governments that have achieved positive results after taking qualitative measures and implementing distinct policies. These countermeasures include renovation and demolition subsidies among other strategies. Budgetary limitations make such systems inflexible and the number of vacant houses under a local government’s purview difficult to determine. While some local governments have secured large budgets and designed policies with wider scopes, others with small budgets have achieved substantial successes by setting up clear visions. Each local government should prioritize key aspects of its regional challenges to design a vacant housing policy that addresses the most urgent goal achievable with a limited budget.