Pilot projects led by district governments to renovate apartments in urban villages for rental use will be launched citywide, according to a set of guidelines issued by the city government for promoting the development of the rental housing market in Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.
According to the guidelines, each district government should launch at least one pilot project to renovate apartments in urban villages into rental apartments. The villages’ collective economic organizations that contribute to the pilot projects will receive subsidies offered by the district governments.
The guidelines also noted that vacant commercial buildings can also be reconstructed into residential rental buildings if approved by the relevant administrative departments. The collection of water, electricity and gas fees for these apartments will follow residential standards instead of commercial standards, but the apartments can only be leased instead of being sold.
The city will raise the proportion of the housing provident fund that can be used for paying housing rent for residents. Realty agencies are encouraged to give priority to families who are qualified for getting government-subsidized apartments, according to the guidelines.
Additionally, the government will consider issuing home-leasing coupons to low-income people as a way to subsidize their apartment rentals in Shenzhen.
A public house-leasing platform will be set up to construct, purchase or rent commercial apartments from enterprises and lease the apartments to low-income families or professional talents.
