Beijing Hutong Conservation Plan - Tibet Heritage Fund

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6.2 Government support
To create favourable conditions for the successful rehabilitatrion of historic Beijing, government support is essential. Without security of tenure, which
only the government can guarentee, residents are unlikely to participate in the project. Coordination of residents, experts and foreign agencies can best
be facilitated through the Government’s local housing office and local neighborhood committees. It is suggested that counterpart agreements should be
made between THF and these offices. Then these departments and the invited partners can work out the details of loan systems, house maintenance
standards, house ownership rules etc. Transparent information and fair rules will expect to attract wide participation of people for Hutong conservation.
6.3 Population control
Local community offices and the housing office should establish an effective control mechanism to prevent sub-renting of public housing or use of
residential buildings for commercial purposes.
If legal tenants under the public housing system want to move out, they should get adequate compensation by the government. The free housing space
must be distributed among the remaining residents to improve the living spaces. The adoption of new compensation regulations is recommended, for
example, increase of compensation according to length of tenure. Residents need to be presented with clearly defined choices, to achieve any desirable
voluntary decrease of population denisty in the inner city area.
6.4 Publicity
After the completion of the pilot plan and the creation of the necessary logistical framework, information systems should be set up to publicise the
project to residents and offices in the affected Hutong areas. The neighborhood committees will play a key role in disseminating information to residents
about the rehabilitation program, details of building conservation regulations, infrastucture upgrading, and the role that they are expected to play. A
campaign to explain the importance of preservation and highlight the privilege of living in the protected area will aim to motivate residents to participate.