Housing and occupational experiences of rural migrants living in public rental housing in Chongqing, China: job choice, housing location and mobility

The city of Chongqing in southwestern China has recently adopted a massive public rental housing programme, which has attracted considerable attention due to its emphasis on the dominant role played by the government , the universal coverage. Yet, no current studies have investigated the housing and occupational experiences of rural migrants living in public rental housing, focusing on the effects of state involvement. The results of the semi-structured interviews with 120 rural migrants and eighteen govern-ment officials identified that rural migrants' housing and occupational experiences were negatively affected by the municipality's pursuit of land-based financing approaches, the exclusion of informality and the lag in the supply of public transport and discouragement of motorcycles. The findings provide insights into state-led urban housing projects and add a new dimension of understanding rural migrants' occupational and housing experiences in rapid urbanisation in China and the global South.

Automated summary

China's Chongqing city has implemented a large-scale public rental housing program, attracting attention due to government involvement and universal coverage. However, there has been no research on the housing and occupational experiences of rural migrants in public rental housing, focusing on the effects of state intervention. Interviews with 120 rural migrants and 18 government officials reveal negative impacts on housing and employment experiences, including the municipality's land-based financing approach, exclusion of the informal economy, and inadequate public transport and discouragement of motorcycles. These findings offer insights into state-led urban housing projects and provide a new understanding of rural migrants' experiences in rapid urbanization in China and the global South.