Evaluating social housing policy in China’s mega cities: A comparative case study of Shanghai and Chongqing

Abstract

In 1998, the focus of China's modern housing system shifted from the welfare-orientated housing to the privatised and commercialised housing. Though this housing reform has significantly improved the living conditions of Chinese people, it has also widened housing inequality, especially in China's mega cities. Accordingly, urban social housing has become a necessity for low-income groups in these cities. In recent years, China's housing policy has increasingly focused on social housing for low-income groups. As a series of policies have been formulated and implemented, whether the actual living needs of low-income groups can be met has aroused a huge concern. Before the evaluation of the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of urban social housing policies in these two mega cities, this paper starts with a discussion of the social background of low-income groups as well as their urban social housing situation in Shanghai and Chongqing in the Chinese 12th Five Year Plan. This paper examines the successes and failures of urban social housing policies in Shanghai and Chongqing and discusses the potential policy improvements that may more apply to the actual living needs of low-income groups.