Suwon Odd County Apartments Selected as Nation's Best Apartment Complex This Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hoon Reporter] Suwon Odd County Apartments, recommended by Gyeonggi Province, has been selected as the top-rated complex in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's evaluation of exemplary apartment management complexes.

The exemplary apartment management complex evaluation system originated in 1997 with Gyeonggi Province's exemplary and co-management complex initiative.

Subsequently, local governments across the country selected exemplary apartment management complexes, and the system has been expanded and operated since 2010 as a certification program administered by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport targeting apartments nationwide.

Last year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport received recommendations from regional governments nationwide, including Gyeonggi Province, of one exemplary management complex each according to apartment complex size categories: under 500 units, 500 to under 1,000 units, and 1,000 units or more.

The province submitted Suwon Odd County, Seongnam Wirye Hoban Verdum, and Bucheon Sarangmaeul Chungu Apartments—selected as "2020 Gyeonggi Province Exemplary and Co-Management Complexes" in September of last year—as candidates for the Ministry's exemplary management complex designation.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conducted first-stage written evaluation and second-stage on-site inspections by the exemplary management complex selection review committee and selected the top-rated complex across all apartment complex sizes. Selection criteria included evaluations in four categories: ▲general management ▲facility safety and maintenance ▲community activation ▲recycling and energy conservation.

Suwon Odd County (668 units), completed in 2012, hosts various resident unity events including flea markets, food bazaars, chamber music concerts, and community garden plot sales.

Residents voluntarily raised funds to convert an abandoned space into a resident cafe, creating employment for residents and using proceeds as community activation funds.

Particularly noteworthy was the relocation of the cleaning staff rest area from the basement level 3 to ground level 1, earning high praise for improvements to cleaning staff rest facilities.

Shin Wook-ho, director of Gyeonggi Province's Apartment Housing Division, stated, "Gyeonggi Province selects exemplary and co-management complexes every year to strengthen autonomous management functions of apartment communities and establish proper apartment residential culture," and added, "Despite difficulties caused by COVID-19, we were able to achieve visible results by being selected as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's top-rated complex, which is a result of co-management cooperation and active support from residents."

The awards ceremony will not be held due to COVID-19, and excellence management complex certification plaques will be delivered to the apartment by mail.