Luck of the draw for affordable homes
July 31, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ON July 9, the lottery was held in the Shanghai City Theater to determine the queue for home purchases in Minhang District's first affordable housing neighborhood. The lottery determined the order in which 472 families will choose the units they want to buy. The low-cost housing is built with government funds.
Hua Weirong's family was one of the lottery participants. Like most of the others, he arrived at the City Theater by bus at noon. The container with 472 numbers in it was rolled by computer for three hours before the pecking order was drawn. Hua got number 37, which means he will be the 37th to pick out the unit of his choice.
To ensure the fairness of the lottery, local administration officials developed detailed plans. On the day of the lottery, each family was told to send one representative to the draw. The Shanghai Oriental Notary Office certified the process, and some Minhang deputies to the local People's Congress and members of the People's Political Consultative Conference were invited to observe. The lottery was open to the media as well.
As the draw was under way, the results were projected on the theater's large screen so every one present could see what was happening at the same time.
After the lottery, the results were published on the websites of local government administrations and various communities.
Hua said he feels himself to be pretty lucky. He and his family have lived in a tiny apartment of only 55 square meters for 10 years and have been hoping to expand to larger living quarters. But they couldn't afford bigger housing at market prices.
Their lottery draw will entitle them to a 100-square-meter apartment at a cost below market value of about 400,000 yuan (US$59,000). Hua said he believes the family can afford it. His son has already found a job. Things are changing for the better.
The 472 families are expected to complete the home-selection process by the end of August. After that, they will move into their new homes in Xiangtai Garden, the first neighborhood of affordable house in the Minhang District.
Of course, not every family gets the pick of the lot in Xiangtai as far as locations, views and floors were concerned, but many may be happy just to get bigger homes.
For those who are disappointed and want to try their luck again, the lottery system allows them to keep the numbers they drew and try again at the next round of available apartments.
Hua Weirong's family was one of the lottery participants. Like most of the others, he arrived at the City Theater by bus at noon. The container with 472 numbers in it was rolled by computer for three hours before the pecking order was drawn. Hua got number 37, which means he will be the 37th to pick out the unit of his choice.
To ensure the fairness of the lottery, local administration officials developed detailed plans. On the day of the lottery, each family was told to send one representative to the draw. The Shanghai Oriental Notary Office certified the process, and some Minhang deputies to the local People's Congress and members of the People's Political Consultative Conference were invited to observe. The lottery was open to the media as well.
As the draw was under way, the results were projected on the theater's large screen so every one present could see what was happening at the same time.
After the lottery, the results were published on the websites of local government administrations and various communities.
Hua said he feels himself to be pretty lucky. He and his family have lived in a tiny apartment of only 55 square meters for 10 years and have been hoping to expand to larger living quarters. But they couldn't afford bigger housing at market prices.
Their lottery draw will entitle them to a 100-square-meter apartment at a cost below market value of about 400,000 yuan (US$59,000). Hua said he believes the family can afford it. His son has already found a job. Things are changing for the better.
The 472 families are expected to complete the home-selection process by the end of August. After that, they will move into their new homes in Xiangtai Garden, the first neighborhood of affordable house in the Minhang District.
Of course, not every family gets the pick of the lot in Xiangtai as far as locations, views and floors were concerned, but many may be happy just to get bigger homes.
For those who are disappointed and want to try their luck again, the lottery system allows them to keep the numbers they drew and try again at the next round of available apartments.
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