China to take more measures to ease urban housing problems: MOHURD

China will release measures to ease the housing plight facing young people and new residents in major cities, an official with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Housing difficulties for new residents and young people has become a bigger problem along with the development of urbanization, said Ni Hong, vice minister of MOHURD. Ni cited a survey that found 70 percent of new residents and young people in big cities have to rent homes, but struggle to find options with good price and location.

MOHURD has carried out pilot work in 13 cities across the country since 2019, and has adopted six policies including granting subsidies for rental housing projects that meet the requirements.

Wang Menghui, minister of MOHURD, said that the administration will increase the supply of rental housing in order to help alleviate housing difficulties.

In 2019, the per capita housing area of urban residents totaled 39.8 square meters, followed by 48.9 square meters for rural residents, Wang said, adding that rental housing can improve the housing security system. China has built the world's largest housing security system, helping more than 200 million people improve their housing conditions, Wang noted.