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No-toilets idea to deter rich

AN economist wants bathrooms excluded from low-rent apartments to deter rich people moving in.

Mao Yushi, famous for his "speak for the rich and do for the poor" theories, proposed building public toilets instead of putting bathrooms in low-rent apartments so that the rich would not compete with poor families for limited housing resources.

Mao said it was only a personal view but his idea has sparked heated discussions online. Some Netizens said it was the best way to prevent the rich moving into low-rent apartments. Others said the poor had the right to enjoy their own bathrooms, Information Times reported yesterday.

Some accused Mao of speaking for the rich but Mao replied he was on the side of the poor and his words showed his concerns.

According to his analysis, the poorest people had priority over those with mid-level incomes because of the government's limited budget for building low-rent housing.

For those packed into a small room with dozens of others, the priority was not to buy an apartment but to have their living conditions improved, he said.

Ou Jiangbo, a researcher on the domestic real estate market, expressed his objections and said Mao's idea would not solve any problems.

His proposal might stop the rich from seeking low-rent apartments, but it would also be disadvantageous for those living in the apartments, Ou said, adding there should be strict reviews of the personal assets of those applying for low-rent apartments.

Qu admitted that loopholes in the current system let some richer people move into low-rent apartments.




 

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