Yinchuan, January 12 (Xinhua) -- From "Safe Housing" to "Superior Housing": Yinchuan, Ningxia, Supports People's Livelihoods with Strong Policies
Reporter Li Peishan
In the Health City residential community of Xingqing District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia, Li Ting, originally from Dingxi, Gansu, has finally felt a sense of security in "putting down roots in the city." At the end of 2025, through the public rental housing policy for newly employed college graduates, she applied for a 60-square-meter two-bedroom apartment for only 720 yuan per month. The apartment is fully furnished and equipped with appliances, truly allowing her to "move in with just her bags." "The old apartment I used to rent was small and noisy, and I always felt like I was drifting. Now that I have a stable place to live, I feel much more at ease at work," Li Ting said.
Surrounded by lakes, residential communities in Yinchuan are built along the lake, coexisting harmoniously with the clear waters. (File photo) Provided by the Publicity Department of the Yinchuan Municipal Committee.Li Ting's experience is a microcosm of Yinchuan City's efforts to promote housing security. Since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Yinchuan City has consistently regarded housing security as an important part of the "Ten Hearts" practical measures for improving people's livelihoods. By improving the policy system, expanding the coverage of security, and enhancing the quality of housing, more and more new urban residents, young people, and groups with housing difficulties have achieved "a place to live" and are gradually moving towards "a better place to live".
Overlooking Yinchuan, the city is a blend of lakeside charm and residential living. (File photo) Provided by the Publicity Department of the Yinchuan Municipal Committee of the CPC.To address the pain points of new urban residents who "cannot afford to buy a house or rent a good one," Yinchuan City has vigorously promoted the construction of public rental housing, affordable rental housing, and talent apartments. It has not only simplified application procedures, relaxed household registration restrictions, and implemented "online instant approval," making affordable housing the "first stop" for new urban residents to integrate into the city, but also continuously upgraded the quality standards of newly constructed projects. Currently, a total of 1,498 households in the city have been included in the public rental housing program, and 3,333 households have been included in the affordable housing program, providing housing for 2,710 families with housing difficulties. The Gaoqiao Phase II project, currently under construction, innovatively adopts a parallel model of sales and rental housing, with a greening rate of 35% and complete supporting facilities such as community canteens, shared study rooms, express delivery lockers, and charging stations. "In the past, people thought that affordable housing was 'just something to live in,' but now the quality of these houses is no worse than that of commercial housing," said a staff member of the Yinchuan Housing Security Center.
Alongside the construction of affordable housing, housing services for young talents are also being developed. With the in-depth implementation of the "100,000 College Graduates Staying in Yinchuan Special Action," Yinchuan has built 22 talent apartments with over 6,500 units, covering major urban areas and key industrial parks. Differentiated support policies tailored to different educational backgrounds allow master's degree holders to live in the apartments for free for up to three years, and undergraduates for up to two years. These, combined with supporting services such as employment assistance and job recommendations, help many young talents quickly move from simply "settling down" to "putting down roots."
Having addressed the issue of "renting a place to live," Yinchuan City has also eased the financial burden on its citizens by optimizing its housing provident fund policy. Zhang Jianjun, a 42-year-old ride-hailing driver, never imagined that self-employed individuals could contribute to the housing provident fund. After Yinchuan City introduced the relevant policy, he opened an account online and now contributes 800 yuan monthly. His account balance now exceeds 10,000 yuan. "Next year, I can apply for a housing provident fund loan to buy a house, which will save me a lot of interest compared to commercial loans," he said.
Such policy benefits are increasingly reaching flexible employment groups like Zhang Jianjun. The Yinchuan Municipal Housing Provident Fund Management Center has raised the maximum loan amount to 800,000 yuan, reduced the down payment ratio for first-time homebuyers to 15%, and achieved data sharing with multiple departments such as social security and taxation, making "zero-material, instant approval" the norm, maximizing the reduction of barriers, increases in loan amounts, and simplification of procedures. The "Housing Service Station" established in Xingqing District also provides door-to-door policy interpretation and agency services for sanitation workers, deliverymen, and other groups. Food delivery rider Ma Xiaohua is one of the beneficiaries. At the beginning of this year, she used a provident fund loan to purchase a new 68-square-meter apartment. "The monthly mortgage payment is 200 yuan cheaper than renting before, and I finally have a home of my own," she said.
Housing security encompasses far more than simply "having a place to live"; it also means "living well." Based on this goal, Yinchuan City is simultaneously advancing urban village renovation and old residential area improvement projects, allowing residents of the old city to also enjoy a high-quality life. Beita Fourth Team in Xingqing District was once a typical urban village, with old houses and outdated facilities. Now, demolition and resettlement are underway. The newly built buildings are not only well-ventilated and brightly lit, but also equipped with accessible ramps and elevators. "My wife won't need to be carried downstairs to sunbathe anymore," said resident Liu Guilan, her face beaming with anticipation every time she checks the construction progress.
Today, the quality of newly built residential communities in Yinchuan is constantly being upgraded, with outstanding performance in areas such as greening, property management, and smart facilities. Many communities have also introduced the "Red Property Management" model, where Party members lead the establishment of residents' councils, allowing residents to jointly decide on matters such as the use of public spaces and the maintenance of green spaces. At the same time, the "15-minute convenient living circle" created around the communities ensures that residents can reach supermarkets and pharmacies within 5 minutes' walk and community hospitals and bus stops within 10 minutes.
To ensure that "livability" becomes a standard feature of affordable housing, starting in 2025, Yinchuan City has explicitly required all newly constructed affordable housing projects to simultaneously plan and build facilities such as elderly care and childcare, cultural and sports facilities, and convenient commercial facilities, and to include these in the mandatory indicators for completion and acceptance. "We not only want to build houses, but also to ensure a warm and welcoming living environment," said a relevant official from the Yinchuan Municipal Housing and Construction Bureau.
From public rental housing to talent apartments, from optimizing housing provident fund policies to renovating old residential areas, Yinchuan City has implemented a series of pragmatic measures to make housing security more humane and effective. More and more ordinary citizens are realizing their dream of settling down in this city, and the vision of "having a comfortable home" is gradually becoming a tangible and visible happiness for thousands of families. (End)
