BEIJING, Dec. 31 -- Families on low incomes in Shenzhen will have a chance to take up government-subsidized apartments with the initiation of four housing projects Friday.

    Located in Futian, Nanshan and Bao’an districts, the four projects will provide 16,951 apartments upon completion.

    "So far, there are a total of 24 projects either completed or under construction," Vice Mayor Lu Ruifeng said. The projects provide about 28,200 apartments in total, 3,000 more than the government goal of 25,000 this year, Lu said.

    This year the government had finished 6,006 apartments. However, from 2006 to 2010, the government would build 140,000 apartments for low-income families and the 6,006 apartments were just a small part, Lu said.

    Housing for low-income families was one of the 10 projects on the government agenda to improve the livelihood of residents in the year 2007.

    Applications for the 6,006 government-subsidized apartments will start from Jan. 14, 2008.

    Families who have had an annual income of less than 23,252 yuan (3,168 U.S. dollars) for two consecutive years of 2006 and 2007 will be eligible to buy or rent government-subsidized apartments.

    The total assets of an eligible family should not exceed 280,000 yuan.

    Single-parent families and couples married before Dec. 31, 2005 will be eligible to buy low-cost government apartments, while families, single-parent families and singles over 37 are eligible to apply for a low-rent apartment.

    Families who didn't register as households with housing difficulties in the 2007 census could also apply for an apartment as long as they fall into the low-income category.

    Moreover, applicants and spouses must hold Shenzhen hukou, or a permanent residence permit, issued before Dec. 31, 2005.

    Families who have violated the one-child policy, or who had bought government-subsidized apartments in other cities, will not be eligible for these apartments.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)