Housing monetarization reform in China : a case study of Guiyang

Urban housing reform is considered to be probably the most challenging aspects of the Chinese economic reforms due to the great significance on the livelihood of all urban residents. Its development and advancement continues to be slow and progressive over the last 2 decades until a rather fundamental policy shift in 1998 – the inauguration of the housing monetarization policy. This latest initiative seeks to alter the housing distribution mechanism from in-kind housing allocation to cash subsidy provision. Various models have since surfaced in local governments and culminated finally into two main approaches: specifically, the incremental and the holistic method. Most cities embrace the incremental technique where the status quo of housing distribution in the old system is mainly preserved while introducing new rules to new entrants into the system…..

The level of success differs immensely between regions and cities in this approach, and on the whole, the implementation of housing monetarization reform is rather fragmented and unsuccessful. This thesis concerns a successful case that has taken place in an economically backward city – Guiyang, in Guizhou. The report aims at examining the dynamics of such policy change and its influences on housing equality and distributive justice. The Guiyang housing model holds significant implications on learning the role of housing reform in economic transition and social growth and development of contemporary China…..

Source: City University of Hong Kong

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