Linking social housing provision for rural migrants with the redevelopment of ‘villages in the city’: A case study of Beijing

Abstract

The affordability of housing in China is a pressing social and economic issue, particularly for rural migrants. The provision of more social housing is a key element of current policies. Paradoxically, ‘villages in the city’ (ViCs) – which provide the majority of affordable housing for rural migrants – face the threat of, or have already undergone, demolition and redevelopment. This article explores the linkages between social housing provision for rural migrants and the redevelopment of ViCs by taking Beijing as a case study. It first looks at the marginal status of rural migrants in the system of social housing supply, and then analyses the opportunities afforded by and the problems associated with ViCs. A critical evaluation of the redevelopment of Tangjialing village highlights the problems caused by the strategy of combining the provision of public rental housing with the demolition of ViCs. Reflecting on empirical evidences and international experiences, this article suggests that it would be better to link the provision of public rental housing to the incremental upgrading of ViCs.