Public Housing as Method: Upgrading Urbanisation Model in Chongqing

By analysing its mechanism and rationale, the author explains the mega urban project of public rental housing in Chongqing functions as a method to upgrade the urbanisation model in China. However, the author gives the... [ view full abstract ]

By analysing its mechanism and rationale, the author explains the mega urban project of public rental housing in Chongqing functions as a method to upgrade the urbanisation model in China. However, the author gives the criticism that the uneven distribution and the financial debt in public rental housing may damage this urbanisation model. 

Over the past three decades, China has been experiencing a rapid urbanisation, including the city of Chongqing. Public rental housing was adopted as the core method of urbanisation in Chongqing. There are three main generators in the urbanisation in Chongqing: 1. Securitised land-exchange system (dipiao地票); 2. Massive distribution of urban household registration (hukou户口); 3. Construction of over 40 million square meters of public rental housing. With the ‘troika’ urban policy, Chongqing public rental housing has become a government-led method for promoting its urbanisation.

Thus, public rental housing in Chongqing is selected as the target to research its mechanism and contestations. Due to this urban method emphasis on the government’s role, Chongqing public rental housing stands out as a prominent case among other pilot programs across the country. 

The author's criticism is given that the uneven residential distribution and financial debts in public rental housing may lead to potential problems, or even damage Chonqing's urbanisation model. It is also my hope that the finding could contribute to add a new dimension of understanding the rapid urbanisation and urban sustainability in Western China.