Chongqing - With over 30 million residents, Chongqing prioritizes improving livelihoods. On September 24, the 2024 high-quality development tour visited the Beautiful Sunshine Home community in the Shapingba District, showcasing the city's housing initiatives.

A Bridging News reporter observed family doctors offering medical services, especially for elderly residents. They routinely checked medications, monitored blood pressure, and tested for diabetes, enabling residents to access healthcare without leaving the community.

The medical staff measured blood pressure for the elderly at the Beautiful Sunshine Home community in the Shapingba District. (Photo/Chen Zhan)

The Beautiful Sunshine Home community, a municipal-level public rental housing project, houses 14,600 households and over 39,400 residents. It comprises 32 buildings and provides a complete range of amenities, including schools, hospitals, supermarkets, and banks."It is a warm community," said 31-year-old Wei Yuxi at the Beautiful Sunshine Home community service center. "And now I finally got my own home." 

Public rental housing in China consists of government-subsidized options designed to offer affordable rentals for low- and middle-income families. Chongqing stands out as the country's largest public rental housing construction company.

By the end of September 2022, the city had built 583,000 public rental units and allocated 554,000, offering housing to 1.4 million low- and middle-income residents.

Chongqing is implementing a pilot reform to convert public rental units into allocated affordable housing, effectively boosting the supply of affordable housing for wage-earning groups.

Wei is among the first beneficiaries of a new policy converting public rental housing into allocated affordable housing, allowing residents to purchase their rented homes.

This policy significantly alleviates home-buying challenges for low- and middle-income families, offering affordability alongside comprehensive service facilities.

The Beautiful Sunshine Home community is one of Chongqing's first pilot projects under this policy, with prices ranging from 4,400 to 4,700 yuan per square meter. Wei recently purchased her two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, spanning 67 square meters, for nearly 310,000 RMB (about 44,082 USD).

The Chongqing resident Wei Yuxi (right) handled the procedures for buying the home she rented. (Photo/Chen Zhan)

"I've lived here for eight years and know the area well. I feel safe and supported here with excellent management services," Wei shared. 

"Buying the house I rent is very affordable compared with the other departments," she noted. "This newly published policy significantly benefits low- and middle-income families."

The initiative officially began accepting applications on September 2, 2024, attracting over 2,000 inquiries from interested residents.