Shanghai’s Jiading District Xuhang Town is currently advancing the transformation of the Xuhang old street urban village. Ms. Bao and her family of five opted for “existing house settlement.” However, upon entering the house for the first time after signing the contract, they found the property to be “in a mess, moldy, and smelly,” prompting them to refuse to accept the house.
According to the “News Square Community Service Platform,” the Xuhang old street is undergoing urban village transformation, with many residents needing to relocate. The Bao family has been living in Xuhang Town for generations, so they chose the “existing house settlement” plan this time.
Among the limited “existing houses,” Ms. Bao chose a two-bedroom and one living room unit on the 18th floor of Building 21 in the HSBC Kaiyuan community. This community belongs to government-owned existing housing, with a building age of 14 years.
Before selecting the house, Ms. Bao had requested to visit the property in advance but was unable to enter due to not having the key. She had noticed waterproof materials on the corresponding area of the roof and inquired about potential leakage issues. After confirming with the local construction center that there were no problems, she signed the settlement agreement.
On April 22nd, after receiving the keys, the Bao family entered the house and discovered peeling walls, mold, and a strange odor. Ms. Bao said, “As soon as we entered, it was a mess, moldy, and smelly.” They immediately refused to accept the property.
The report stated that journalists recently entered the two-bedroom and one living room unit on the 18th floor. The previously peeling wall areas have been repainted, and the roof has been re-laid with waterproof materials. The property management stated that the relevant repairs were done after Ms. Bao’s visit in late May this year. This means that the property did indeed have repair issues beforehand.
Faced with Ms. Bao’s refusal to accept the property, the Xuhang Town Construction Center proposed four options: repairing the original house, selecting a different settlement house, monetary settlement, and property ticket settlement.
Ms. Bao made it clear that she would not accept the house repair proposal; she did not want a renovated “problematic house.” As for monetary or property ticket settlements, they were not practical for her family who urgently needed a house to settle in. “I lack a home; I want a home.”
As for the alternative settlement house option, the Construction Center provided four housing options: two units similar to the one Ms. Bao chose, both in the HSBC Kaiyuan community, also on the top floor, and had undergone leak repairs; the other two units were one bedroom and one living room and were not in the same community, significantly different from Ms. Bao’s actual housing needs.
Ms. Bao’s mother hopes to continue living in Xuhang, saying, “We grew up in Xuhang, and I must have a house in Xuhang. I want a new house, not a repaired one.”
Currently, Ms. Bao and the Xuhang Town Construction Center are still in negotiations. As for the requests of Ms. Bao and her family, the local authorities stated that the current housing options available do not meet their conditions. Additionally, since the settlement house Ms. Bao selected in the HSBC Kaiyuan community is not in Xuhang Town but in the Juyuan New Area, any subsequent repair issues related to the property can only be coordinated by the district-level department.