Geumcheon-gu, led by District Mayor Choi Gi-chan, is launching the "Clean Care Project for Walking with the Vulnerable," an initiative to improve the living environments of at-risk households.
The district has built a two-track support system by adding the Sanitation Administration Division's resources to an existing public-private residential environment improvement project previously run by the Welfare Policy Division.
The Sanitation Administration Division secured 40 million won ($26,900) in city funding this year through the Seoul Metropolitan Government's support program for districts serving vulnerable residents, and independently designed and established the Clean Care Project based on its accumulated field experience.
The project uses professional waste collection and cleaning companies to provide tailored environmental improvements — including waste removal, organizing and cleaning, and pest control and disinfection — to households that neighborhood welfare planners identify as needing environmental intervention during their case management work.
The district had previously pursued residential environment improvements for households suspected of hoarding disorders through public-private agreements with a social welfare corporation network and a disability-run enterprise called Eum. In some cases, individual requests were made for households with large accumulations of items, and the Sanitation Administration Division was called in to assist with collection — at times placing an additional burden on sanitation officers.
By integrating the Sanitation Administration Division's operations with the existing program, the district said it has diversified its funding sources and support channels. It expects to reach more housing-vulnerable households and respond more systematically to sanitation and safety issues by drawing on specialized contractors.
In 2025, the district used private funding and specialized personnel to support residential environment improvements for four households. In 2026, it plans to secure 20 million won in private funding and expand support to 20 households.
Rather than accepting direct applications from the general public, the program identifies and refers eligible households through the case management process conducted by neighborhood welfare planners.
After providing support, the district plans to offer guidance on maintaining living conditions and link households to follow-up monitoring to prevent recurrence and help beneficiaries sustain the improvements over time.
Kim Jong-myeong, head of the Sanitation Administration Division, said the living environment problems faced by households suspected of hoarding disorders are "not simply a matter of cleaning, but a lifestyle issue in which welfare, hygiene and safety are all intertwined." He added that the division would connect its field response capabilities with welfare case management "so that residents can feel the difference in their daily lives."
District Mayor Choi said the district government under the ninth directly elected administration aims to break down barriers between departments and pursue field-centered, collaborative governance that residents can feel. "Through this two-track support system in which welfare and sanitation work together, we will reduce gaps in support coverage and build a vibrant Geumcheon that walks alongside the vulnerable," he said.
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