International Symposium on Social and Affordable Housing
Celebrating more than a decade of the International Journal of Housing Policy 17-10 June 2011
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Across much of the developed and rapidly developing world there are well-established, but
divergent, models of social and affordable housing. In some countries, such as the United
States, Canada and Australia, the social rented sector is small, and access is restricted to the
very poorest groups and those with additional vulnerabilities and social support needs (this
has been described the ‘ambulance service’ model of social housing). In the United Kingdom,
social housing forms a relatively broad ‘safety net’ for a large proportion of low income
households. This contrasts with the position in the Netherlands and the Scandinavian
countries, for example, where social housing has a much wider ‘affordability’ function and
accommodates many better-off households as well as those on low incomes. In East Asia,
governments have made deep public interventions in order to stimulate market housing,
although social forms of both rented and owner-occupied housing have come further to the
fore as price rises have progressively excluded increasing numbers of working households. In
many countries across the globe, the housing system, including social and affordable housing,
is under considerable pressure and is experiencing rapid change, prompted not least by fiscal
constraints associated with the current economic crisis.
Chinese cities have experienced a housing revolution over the past twenty years. The
Socialist welfare housing provision system has been replaced by a very dynamic housing
market. This new housing system, reflecting the distribution of wealth in society as a whole,
exhibits great inequalities. Rising house prices in recent years have made affordability,
particularly for low income households, a key social and economic problem in cities. Over
recent years, the government has been re-examining the idea of social and affordable housing
under its development strategy for a harmonious society. Different types of low cost housing
schemes have been developed to provide a safety net for low income groups. The central
housing authority is also developing the idea of basic ‘housing rights’ in its first ever
legislation for housing.
This international symposium jointly funded by the International Journal of Housing Policy
(Formerly European Journal of Housing Policy) and Tsinghua University aims a) to provide an opportunity for housing researchers to share
experiences and exchange ideas on these important issues with respect to social and
affordable housing; b) to contribute to housing policy development in China and other Asian
countries; and c) to promote housing policy studies in China by encouraging the younger
generation of housing researchers.
The Symposium will have three parts:
• Part One: Will comprise a series of presentations on international experiences. Speakers
are invited on behalf of the International Journal of Housing Policy to represent major
housing systems with distinctive models of social and affordable housing.
• Part Two: Presentation sessions on Chinese housing by researchers from both inside and
outside of China, including young academics and PhD students.
• Part Three: Study tours of social and affordable housing estates in Beijing.
Programme:
7 June 2011: Arrival and registration
8 June 2011: International presentations and young researchers forum
9 June 2011: Chinese presentations
10 June 2011: Visit to housing estates in Beijing
11 June 2011: Departure
Invited International Speakers

Country/Housing System Speaker Title
Australia Judy Yates Titles will be provided late.
Denmark Lotte Jensen
Hong Kong/Singapore James Lee
Netherlands Marja Elsinga
Japan Yosuke Hirayama
South Korea Seong Kyu Ha
United Kingdom Keith Kintrea
United States Ed Goetz
Organising Committee:
Lei SHAO (Tsinghua University)
Chuan ZUO (Tsinghua University)
Ya Ping Wang (Heriot-Watt University)
Suzanne Fitzpatrick (Editor, IJHP, Heriot-Watt University)
Keith Kintrea (Chair, Management Board of IJHP, University of Glasgow)
Richard Ronald (Review Editor, IJHP, University of Amsterdam)
For further information, please contact:
International Journal of Housing Policy Tsinghua University
Professor Ya Ping Wang
School of the Built Environment
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh EH14 4AS UK
Tele: +44 (0)131 451 4456
Email: [email protected]
Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick
(Editor-in-Chief of the International
Journal of Housing Policy)
School of the Built Environment
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh EH14 4AS UK
Tele: +44 (0)131 451 8362
Email: [email protected]
Professor Shao Lei
School of Architecture
Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Tele: +86 (0)10 92796993
Email: [email protected], or
[email protected]
Professor Zuo Chuan
School of Architecture
Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Email: [email protected]