BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Beijing on Monday claimed success in its housing overhaul project, having torn down or renovated 40,718 dilapidated urban homes in just nine months, exceeding the year-end target of 36,000.
The municipal office tasked to enforce the project said that it had cost 80 billion yuan (12 billion U.S. dollars) and benefited 235,000 people. The families either had their old homes repaired or moved into better housing.
Beijing has decided to strike out pockets of rundown areas, including those in traditional hutongs on the city's outskirts where migrant workers and low-income families live.
The government Monday asked districts to address the housing needs of the poor and wrap up any remaining renovation work as a priority for 2018.
China is aiming to complete renovation of rundown urban areas and dilapidated housing by 2020 to provide low-income urban residents with affordable housing. Nationwide, the government rebuilt 6 million homes last year and is aiming to renovate the same number this year.
