Shanghai's affordable rental housing makes a new push: acquiring second-hand homes and converting inefficient commercial and office spaces into rental housing

How can AI · Innovative affordable rental housing achieve rapid supply through the acquisition of second-hand houses?

【Shanghai Affordable Rental Housing Strikes Back: Acquiring Second-Hand Houses and Converting Inefficient Commercial and Office Buildings into Affordable Rental Housing】 Caixin, May 7th — In today’s “2026 Shanghai Livelihood Interview” program, Gao Shiyun, Director of the Shanghai Housing Administration Bureau, stated that Shanghai focuses on key groups such as new residents and young people, creating diverse affordable rental housing products around different stages of family growth, from “a bed” and “a room” to “a house,” allowing citizens to rent easily, close by, affordably, stably, and comfortably. The most notable development is that this year, Shanghai has introduced innovative measures in securing affordable rental housing — acquiring small second-hand houses in the city center to serve as affordable rental housing, effectively shortening the construction cycle, accelerating the formation of effective supply, and improving the supply layout in key areas. Shanghai has formulated and issued a 1+1+X policy system to address issues such as the implementation of civil water and electricity standards in non-residential renovation projects and charging for residents’ waste disposal, promoting the institutionalization and standardization of the “Home” project. During the 14th Five-Year Plan, the city plans to add more than 120k beds for managers and builders in the “Home of Management” facilities, aiming to reach a total of 200k beds by the end of the period. Focusing on the demand-rich central districts, the city will fully utilize multiple channels such as converting non-residential stock buildings and selecting concentrated communities for affordable rental housing to optimize the layout of locations.