Urban housing for livability 1

Why ‘urban housing’?  Due to rapid urbanization in China and densely populated cities in the Netherlands, demand for urban housing is sharply rising in both countries.  Facing enormous demand, both countries have made efforts to provide urban affordable housing to vulnerable groups (immigrants, elderly and urban poor).  Learning from each other by analyzing and comparing the developments of urban housing in both countries systematically. 2

What is ‘livability’?  Not one singular definition of the term ‘livable city’  But at least: affordable housing in a safe and green environment  Why not ‘sustainable cities, smart cities, eco-cities, knowledge cities, resilient cities etc.’?  With the concept ‘livable cities’: “we create the possibility to concentrate on social problems and topics here and now, instead of focusing on a certain technique or way of organizing (‘eco’, ‘smart’, ‘resilient’) or future (‘sustainable’). By using the concept of ‘livable city’ we also create the possibility to focus on the ‘ quality of life ’ instead of ‘standard of living’ as many other, often more economically oriented, city concepts do.” 3

Structure of the presentation Livable cities 4 Urbanization Green Safe Affordable housing MigrantsElderlyUrban Poor Developments and challenges/problems Institutional barriers to meet challenges/solve problems Institutional reforms & bottom up initiatives Role of government, civil society and private enterprises Discussion  Changing public-public mix and changing public-private mix  Legitimation problem? 4 Themes

Urban affordable housing in China(1)  Migrants:  Rapid urbanization and unique household registration system(Houkou)  contradiction between huge demand and institutional barrierHoukou  Devolution: transfer of responsibility and a degree of independence to provinces: the right to determine eligibility  Housing of non-registered residents and employees(Shanghai)  Possible risks: financial burden to local government and new regional inequality 5 State - national State - subnational Market Civil society

China’s unique household registration - The Hukou system -  There are two types of registered status: agricultural hukou and non-agricultural hukou  Registered under the agricultural hukou, migrant workers are excluded from urban social welfare systems such as social housing.  Instead of abolish the Hukou system directly, central government attempts to transfer the responsibilities, like offering social housing, to local government 6

Urban affordable housing in China(2)  Elderly  The Confucian culture  informed family based care The Confucian culture  Ageing and changes of family structure  state provided formal care: old-age care institutions  Increase national financial input and Multi-stakeholder involvement  Possible risk: Financial burden: without long-term care insurance and the elderly can't afford formal care 7 State - national State - subnational Market Civil society

A Changing Confucian Culture  Traditional views : Bearing and rearing a son for one’s old age Ideal old-age life is that four generations living under a single roof.  The facts : ‘4-2-1 family’ model ‘Empty-nest’ elderly  The trend : A transition should be made from informal family based care to state provided formal care. 8

Urban affordable housing in China(3)  Urban poor  New policy and the state’s limited financial capacity  Private sector involvement: PPPs and tie-in construction policytie-in construction policy  Institutional barriers: Lacking of legal framework e.g., law in PPP  Possible risks: financial fraud and local officials’ short-term oriented plan 9 State - national State - subnational Market Civil society

Tie-in construction policy 10 The Government Private Corporations Urban Poor Other Residents Allotted or sell land/ Subsidy Take over or Buy back Housing Rent Sell

The Netherlands – Urban affordable housing (1)  Immigrants:  Increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers  pressure on regular social housing system  possible risk: legitimation problem  Additional funding for local governments from national government  Elderly  Decentralization of finance and responsibilities to local governments  Voluntary care giving becomes more important  Elderly are supposed to live longer at home instead of in a nursing home 11 State - national State - subnational Market Civil society State - national State - subnational Market Civil society

The Netherlands – Urban affordable housing (2)  The urban poor  Social housing is responsibility of social housing corporations: public, local, autonomous organizations  problems with governance (integrity, finance) in the past ten years  This has led to more regulation, supervision and focus on core business  Possible risk: Expectation gap between societal wishes and juridical possibilities 12 State - national State - subnational Market Civil society

Conclusion  Similarities Local authorities responsible for managing the migrant issue The issue who should be responsible for the provision of housing and home care for the elderly has aroused heated debate Restructuring the social housing sector  Differences Transferring responsibilities vs. inter-government cooperation State provided formal care vs. civil society provided informal care Encourage private sector involvement in social housing vs. social housing as a public sector affair 13

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Discussion  Topic 1: Changing  public-public mix: National – subnational government  public-private mix: State, market and/or civil society  Topic 2: Legitimacy and social citizenship  Increasing differences in local service delivery  Native people feel subordinated by newcomers 15

Thank you for your attention 16