SHENZHEN’S government-subsidized housing program, offering 702 units of talent housing, has opened registrations for eligible individuals interested in purchasing homes at prices below the market rate, the Shenzhen Municipal Housing and Construction Bureau announced Monday.

The two talent housing projects, namely Park Mansion and Yutang Palace, both in Guangming District, comprise 420 two-bedroom apartments and 282 three-bedroom apartments. The application deadline is 6 p.m. Aug. 30. Once successfully registered, applicants will enter a housing purchase pool and receive a number for a lucky draw.

The housing bureau has relaxed the eligibility criteria for the talent housing projects. Individuals who have completed full-time vocational education or have intermediate and above professional and technical qualifications are now eligible for the talent housing purchasing opportunity.

Previously, only individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher, or those holding national vocational certificates were eligible for the talent housing purchasing opportunity.

Qualified applicants with three or more family members can apply for either a two-bedroom or three-bedroom apartment, while single individuals or couples are allowed to apply for a two-bedroom apartment.

One of the talent housing projects, Park Mansion, is situated in Xinhu Subdistrict, and will offer 314 units. It will provide 190 two-bedroom apartments each with a construction area of 69 square meters, and 124 three-bedroom apartments each with a construction area of 89 square meters. The price per square meter is set at 28,447 yuan (US$3,902), including decoration costs.

The other project, Yutang Palace, located in Yutang Subdistrict, features 388 apartments, comprising 230 two-bedroom and 158 three-bedroom units. The price per square meter is 27,449.68 yuan, with decoration costs included.

Applicants for these housing units must meet specific criteria. They should not have previously purchased a government-subsidized apartment or received housing subsidies for high-end talents.

Furthermore, they should not currently own other property in the city, have transferred property within the past five years, or have experienced property division due to divorce in the last five years. (Chen Siqi)