Forced Eviction Stirs Public Outrage in Taiwan

One family in Taipei has rallied support for "victims of urban renewal" after the city demolished their home to make way for high-rise apartments, Loa Lok-Sin reports.

2 minute read

June 12, 2012, 6:00 AM PDT

By Ryan Lue


Community rights organizations in the Taiwanese capital faced off against the city last March over a case of eminent domain in the name of urban revitalization. The conflict pitted longtime residents against development interests, and has garnered the support of dozens of local organizations, including the Taiwan Association for Human Rights and the Taiwan Alliance for Victims of Urban Renewal.

The Wang family, which built its house in the Shilin District of Taipei decades ago, had been locked in unsuccessful negotiations with the city for years. But homeowner Wang Yao-Teh claimed the city "had not once been able to tell us what public interest is involved in the urban renewal case that concerns our family."

The home was located on a site selected by construction company Le Young for a new, 15-story high-rise apartment building.

"Although the family has refused to give up its land, the construction firm has already received the consent of more than 75 percent of the landowners on the block, and according to the Urban Renewal Act (都市更新條例), the firm can now ask the city government to help it evict the Wangs and demolish their home," Loa explains.

"The government should not be hired thugs for construction firms, the law needs to be revised," said Chen Hung-Ying of the Alliance for Victims of Urban Renewal. "What is happening to the Wangs is not an isolated case. If we allow such a terrible law to exist without revision, any one of us could be its next victims."

While forced evictions are commonplace throughout China, they are far less common in democratic Taiwan, and have motivated political and legal challenges to Taipei's Urban Renewal Act.

Friday, March 16, 2012 in Taipei Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

3 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

4 hours ago - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

5 hours ago - Grist