April 10, 2013
Translated by Zhu Na

Migrant workers that meet certain requirments may be eligible to apply for public housing in urban areas by the end of this year.

According to a notice issued by Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) yesterday, all local governments should appropriately lift the maximum income cut-off level (for those applying to purchase government-subsidised public housing), and expand the scope of residents that are qualified to apply for public housing in an orderly manner.

By the end of this year, cities above prefecture level must release regulations that specify the requirements that migrant workers who seek to purchase public housing must meet.

MOHURD also set a target of completing construction of 4.7 million new subsidized housing units in cities across the country in 2013. The housing ministry also said that work would begin on another 6.3 million.

In 2011, the Chinese government set itself the task of constructing 36 million subsidized apartments between 2011 and 2015.

The State Council has also announced that 10 million units of old and unsafe houses (危旧房) will be reconstructed during over the coming five years.

Links and Sources
Beijing News: 中国拟扩保障房覆盖范围 将适当上调收入线标准
MOHURD: 住房城乡建设部关于做好2013年城镇保障性安居工程工作的通知
Economic Observer Online: Problems With Public Housing Push
Economic Observer Online: The Burden of Subsidized Housing
Economic Observer Online: Will Housing Projects Boost GDP?
Economic Observer Online: Beijing to Halt Re-sale of Subsidized Housing