Grants Under Regulations: The British Public Sector’s Experience in Enabling Self-help Housing Improvement and Its Implications for China
Abstract：
The current policy system for the rehabilitation of old neighborhoods in China is not yet fully developed. Renovation costs are predominantly covered by public funds, with limited contributions from homeowners. Furthermore, past renovation efforts have largely focused on public spaces rather than private housing. Previous studies indicate that appropriate governmental intervention is crucial in encouraging homeowners to take the initiative in housing improvements. The UK, an early adopter of urbanization, established a relatively comprehensive policy system for housing improvement grants in the 1960s-1970s to incentivize homeowner investment. At the same time, it employed mechanisms to recapture the value generated by public investments, such as benefiting from rental appreciation and property taxation. Additionally, a comprehensive set of conditions and standards was established to ensure the maintenance and growth of public asset values, including eligibility criteria, improvement standards, and regulations on renting and reselling. Summarizing and comparing the policy experiences of the British public sector can provide valuable insights for the rehabilitation of old neighborhoods in China.