New Homes for Over 3,000 Families as Shanghai Kicks Off Year's Largest Urban Renewal Project

After decades living in aging apartments, more than 3,000 families in downtown Shanghai's Jing'an District began moving out today as the city's largest neighborhood redevelopment project of the year gets under way.

Located in Gonghexin Road Subdistrict, the Jing'an 128 Redevelopment Project covers more than 160 old residential buildings and 3,481 housing units in an area near Pingxingguan Road, Liuying Road and Luochuan Road E.

Built in the 1960s and 1970s, the neighborhood has long struggled with cramped living conditions and outdated facilities. Many families lived in homes of just over 20 square meters, with shared kitchens and bathrooms adding to the difficulties of everyday life.

"For a family, it was difficult even to turn around," said Yu, a resident of Lane 309, Liuying Road. Like many others in the neighborhood, she had spent years hoping for a more comfortable home.

The redevelopment won strong support from residents. A consultation in February received backing from 99.65 percent of households, and by the first day of the formal signing period, 99.97 percent had signed relocation agreements, allowing the move to begin immediately.

The project is part of Shanghai's broader effort to modernize older neighborhoods while addressing long-standing housing challenges.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Shanghai completed a three-decade campaign to redevelop large areas of old housing. In 2025, the city renovated 436,000 square meters of aging residential buildings with outdated structures.

According to Shanghai's 2026 government work report, the city will continue expanding its urban renewal efforts this year. By the end of June, Shanghai had renovated 4.867 million square meters of old residential areas, achieving 61 percent of its annual target, according to the Shanghai Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission.