Shi-lin Wang Family

Event description

The Shi-lin Wang Family Urban Renewal Forced Demolition Incident occurred on March 28, 2012, and is one of the most controversial cases in Taiwan's urban renewal issues in recent years. During then-Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-pin's tenure, the city government, through its public authority, collaborated with LeYoung Development to promote urban renewal and the "Wenlin Yuan" project, resulting in the forced demolition of the Shi-lin Wang family residences. This controversy highlighted the pitfalls of the government's use of "floor area ratio bonuses" as a policy tool to incentivize developers in urban renewal, with a single-minded focus on development goals that neglected comprehensive and holistic perspectives, thereby compromising property rights and public interests of property owners and citizens.

During the eviction process, protesters mobilized through social media to "block demolitions," involving students and the public. Images of construction equipment demolishing buildings in the city center left a lasting impact, shaking many people's perceptions of "residential justice" and raising questions about whether the "block demolition" movement was losing its public nature in its quest to "protect private property rights." Nevertheless, the Shi-lin Wang Family incident did lead to amendments in urban renewal regulations, drawing attention to issues of government "forced demolitions" and excessive police enforcement.

After the forced demolition, some members of the Wang family and activists set up temporary housing units at the original site. They organized public events such as art exhibitions, discussions, and experiments in anarchism around the ruins and vacant land until March 14, 2014, when the Wang family and the developer, LeYoung Construction, voluntarily removed the temporary structures. This prolonged collective occupation, due to its fixed geographical location and convenient transportation, empowered organizational techniques, mobilization, and resistance methods within the social movement, creating connections among protesters' networks.

Under the pressure of significant compensation lawsuits, the Wang family eventually reached a settlement with LeYoung Development. The Wenlin Yuan project was completed and handed over to buyers in September 2016.

Outcome

On April 26, 2013, Constitutional Interpretation No. 709 by the Supreme Court Justices declared certain provisions of the Urban Renewal Act unconstitutional. The main points of contention included the argument that the consent ratio of residents did not align with the principle of majority democracy, advocating for a more rigorous public hearing, and changing from the "notice by publication" principle to the "notice by delivery" principle to ensure compliance with the constitutional protection of people's property rights and the freedom of residence.

Participating Organizations