Residential experiences and satisfaction of public housing renters in Beijing, China: A before-after relocation assessment

The rapid expansion of affordable housing programs in Chinese cities in the past decade has attracted growing scholarly interest from various disciplines. However, little research has assessed the performance of these programs from the perspective of beneficiary families. Using Beijing as a case study, we investigate changes in the residential experiences of renters who recently moved into public rental housing projects, and how such experiences affect their residential satisfaction. Supported by a quasi-longitudinal survey and qualitative interviews, we find that satisfaction is less determined about the dwelling itself than the improved sense of stability, independence, and security that public rental housing offers to low-income households. This research offers a microlevel perspective for evaluating the recent affordable housing policy in China and a comparative lens for understanding the residential experiences of affordable housing renters in developing countries.