1. Affordable Housing Policy in China: Problems and Prospects
Tashi Nyima
The Evolution Institute

2. Outline The Chinese Story of Housing Some Facts & Figures
Present Housing Challenges
Urban Affordable Housing
Government Response
Conclusion: What is the way forward for China?

3. The Chinese Story: From State to Market
Housing in Different Periods and Policy Phases:
Pre-1950 China: Traditional private ownership
Post-1950 China: Collectivization
a) Pre-reform ( ): Work-units
b) Post-reform ( ): Expansion of Private Ownership and Market
c) Post-reform (1998-) Abolishment of employment-based housing system

4. Some facts & figures
Urbanization rate in China - 58%, US (82%), and Norway (80.99%) in 2017
Floating population million migrants
Urban per capita income RMB in 2017
An average floor area of 29 m² per capita
110 m² per household
Affordability: Price-to-income ratio (5.6)
Residual income method?

5. China’s housing bubble

6. Housing price in China’s metropolises

7. Government attempt to cool down housing price

8. Housing investment

9. Affordable housing target
The 12th Five Year Plan: 36 million homes during
10 million homes in 2011
10 million homes in 2012
16 million homes from
This target was divided and allocated to municipal governments.

10. The problem of housing vacancy Source: China Uncensored

11. Ordor: The largest ghost city in China

12. Housing for the urban poor
Household registration (戶籍):
The official urban residents (circa 700 million) with urban household registration
The unofficial urban residents (287 million) without urban household registration
Expensive and inaccessble housing market
Housing ownership as social status

13. Container homes in Shanghai Source: Collective Responsibility

14. Container homes in Qingdao Source: Affordable Housing Institute

15. Bunker homes in Beijing Source: DailyStar

16. Migrant homes in Beijing Photographed by Dr. Yulin Chen

17. Government Response
19th Party Congress in 2017: ’’Houses are for living in, not for speculation.’’
Housing seen as an issue of social stability
Multiple actors and channels of housing
2 million units of public rental housing
Low-rent housing system
Acceleration of rental housing construction
Shared property right (ownership)

18. Conclusion: What is the way forward?
From rhetoric to reality …
No shortage of houses but shortage of affordable houses
Must strive for an inclusive and diverse urbanization model
Should inject real and significant investment into housing ownership rather than building only rental based affordable homes.

19. Thank you! 谢谢!