This study focuses on the housing market in Changning District, Shanghai, China, in response to a request made to the World Bank for technical assistance. The district is expected to provide a target number of affordable housing units determined by central government, choosing from a range of different types of affordable housing programs.

     Changning has identified the recently established Public Rental Housing (PRH) program as the primary mechanism. The study assesses the need for and the supply of housing in Shanghai generally and Changning in particular. It then evaluates the appropriateness of PRH to reach the district’s affordable housing target. The study analyzes population, income, and demographic trends in Shanghai and Changning to determine housing demand; (ii) the quality, quantity, and price of housing options in these areas to understand supply; and (iii) the financial feasibility and appropriate targeting of PRH housing in the district.