Low-income housing plan under work

Source: China Daily | 02-20-2009 10:24

Authorities will introduce new guidelines this year to provide housing for lower- and middle-income Chinese who cannot afford private houses and do not qualify for low-rent and subsidized housing provided by the government, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on its website yesterday.

The guidelines will be based on similar moves by the Shanghai and Guangdong authorities that include subsidized rental housing for relocated residents and short-term rental apartments for fresh graduates, the ministry said.

Earlier this year, Minister Jiang Weixin said the department would explore new measures in the housing market to provide homes for lower- and middle-income workers who could not afford private homes and were not eligible for subsidized government housing.

Since 1991, China has been building affordable houses to accommodate low-income residents. In provinces like Guangdong and Zhejiang, monthly rent for these houses is as low as 1 yuan per sq m.