Subsidized homes found rented out

Shanghai housing authorities have vowed to pay more attention to checking up on subsidized housing owners after several of them illegally leased their homes in Minhang District to businesses, local media reported Tuesday.

The Shanghai Municipal Housing Management Bureau said the leases have been terminated and the businesses have moved out of the residential compound, according to the Oriental Morning Post.

The issue came to light after Shanghai Television Station reported on November 28 that two apartments in Zhonghong Pujiang Garden in Pujiang town had been transformed into a small supermarket and several shops.

"It is a new problem that we haven't run into before, so there aren't any concrete rules or regulations for us to follow. We can only refer to the housing sales contract," an official surnamed Hu with Minhang Housing Management Bureau told a Global Times reporter posing as a subsidized home owner.

Under their contract, subsidized home owners are not allowed to lease their property to other parties.

"If you do not live in your subsidized home, it means that you're not in a low income household and don't need this apartment, so why did you apply to the program and compete with us," said Qian Hua, who lives in an affordable housing project in Baoshan district.

The city's affordable housing program aims to help low-income families.