On November 4th, several homeowners in the Rongsheng City community in Wanquan District, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, posted videos claiming that the underground garage of the community has experienced subsidence two years after delivery, resulting in extensive wall cracks. However, the homeowners’ previous complaints to relevant authorities did not lead to any resolution. The videos have attracted attention on the internet.
The videos show cracks on the floor of the underground garage, as well as large-scale cracks on walls and columns, with some walls even having large holes.
The person who posted the video said, “It’s like this even before anyone has moved in. Now the relevant authorities are not allowing entry for photography.”
Another homeowner in the video said, “The wall has cracked, then they put up nets, made repairs, and painted over it.”
“Who would dare to live here? Does anyone dare?” the homeowner expressed in the video, “The entire area is like a pit, all sinking down.”
Some netizens commented on the video area, saying, “The frame columns are cracked, indicating a problem with the foundation. The first thing to do should be a survey.” Another netizen mentioned, “The underground garage is sinking unevenly, it should have been backfilled.”
On November 5th, several homeowners in the Rongsheng City community told “Gaze News” that the community, comprising commercial housing units, was delivered in June 2023. The subsidence and cracking issues mainly focus on the underground garages of Building 9 and Building 10 in Zone A5.
One homeowner in Zone A5 mentioned that they moved into the community at the end of 2024. They had experienced subsidence on the ground level, which was repaired. However, six months ago, homeowners discovered subsidence and wall cracking in the underground garage. The issue has worsened over time, and eventually, parking was prohibited.
Some homeowners had just finished renovating their homes when the tiles started to crack. Homeowners reached out to the developers and relevant authorities, who stated that they would bring in professional organizations for inspection. However, to date, no results have been provided to the homeowners, leaving them anxious about safety concerns while residing in the building.
According to staff from the Construction Bureau in Wanquan District, where the community is located, the community is a new one with a total of 28 units across the involved buildings, of which 10 units are currently occupied. Upon on-site investigation, the staff explained that the walls with visible large cracks and holes in the video are infill walls, lacking reinforcement bars and concrete.
The staff mentioned that after cracks appeared on these infill walls, the construction party demolished them to prevent any potential harm caused by falling debris, resulting in the large holes seen. They further explained that ongoing efforts involve removing infill walls with cracks.
Regarding the structural columns, staff admitted there were some minor cracks. A third-party entity has already conducted evaluations on the implicated buildings, with results expected to be available within a few days.
Meanwhile, the Wanquan District Construction Bureau shared that the provisional assessment results suggest that this year’s significant rainfall may have led to slight settling of the foundation, and plans for reinforcement are currently being developed.
Considering the tendency of the Chinese Communist Party to conceal information, the official explanation has raised doubts among homeowners. One homeowner stated, “We will have it re-evaluated by other professionals.”
One netizen advised, “Evacuate immediately. If the columns were already unable to bear the weight when intact and are now cracked, it indicates the load-bearing capacity has significantly decreased. Repair is no longer an option. Evacuate as soon as possible!”