Increasing Home Ownership in Urban China: Notes on the Problem of Affordability

Experiments with changing the system of urban housing in China have been implemented sporadically since the early 1980s, but the pace of change has picked up considerably since 1994. While numerous obstacles still exist, policy-makers appear determined to increase home ownership and move toward a market-oriented housing system. This paper reviews the progress made in the 1990s and the outlook for new housing policies being proposed and implemented in China today.