Hard life awaits in affordable housing

Media reports say that tens of thousands of affordable housing units in the Baishawan district of Qingdao, Shandong Province, have gotten a frosty reception due to their remote location and lack of supporting infrastructure.

Affordable homes and subsidized rentals have been in focus this year as central and local authorities work to protect people's livelihoods. But acting under command from central authorities, it seems that some local governments have rushed ahead with poorly conceived plans to build as many affordable homes as possible without consideration for the needs of people who might live there.

Many affordable housing units are like those found in Baishawan: isolated in remote districts where land is cheap. According to reports, such projects could be located as much as three hours away from the nearest urban center, making commuting impractical. What's more, many such projects are also located far from basic facilities such as hospitals and supermarkets.

With few people willing to relocate to such far-flung residences, it's hardly surprising that so many developers have had difficulty recouping their costs from affordable home construction.

Fundamentally, local governments should construct affordable housing units within easy reach of necessary education, shopping, healthcare and transit infrastructure.