The Role of Housing in Facilitating Middle-Class Family Practices in China: A Case Study of Tianjin
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Housing Resources and Mismatched Housing Needs
2.1. The Rise of Inequality Driven by Housing
2.2. The Mismatch between Housing Need and Supply
3. The Role of Housing in Later Life and Middle-Class Family
3.1. Implications of Housing Location for Later Life
3.2. The Role of Housing in Maintaining Middle-Class Advantage
4. Site Selection
5. Recruiting Participants
6. Methods
7. Findings
I used to live at the city’s south end, close to my workplace. Then, in 2000, I purchased a new apartment where the top schools are concentrated because I was more concerned with my son’s (G3) education at that time. I could not stop worrying about my parents’ (G1) health until I was close to retirement age, so I decided to buy another flat since it is handy for me to visit my parents. I also hope that my parents will come to live with me(G2-D2, 60 years old, in the Li family).
Although we moved from the big home to this 70 m2 apartment, life is so simple. Since the year our daughter-in-law was pregnant, we often travelled between Tianjin and Qingdao. After retirement, we felt the big home was not only unnecessary and also tricky to manage. Now we are delighted to live in this lovely apartment, and the space is enough for our everyday life.(G2 couple, Mr G2-68 and Mrs 67, in the Fu family).
I was used to living in my own home. It was good to live with my oldest daughter (G2-D1) because she has good hands for taking care of me, I know, but I prefer that she comes and visits me in my home. It is different … they (G2, G3) are so busy … they (G2) have to help [G3] to decorate the apartment, I can do nothing to help …(Mrs G1, 86-year-old, in the Zhao family).
My mother never looks after my son at all! My father wants to help me, but he is careless. I could not depend on them, so I quit my job and focused on taking care of him by myself. I do regret now that I asked my parents to live with me.(G3-wife in the Kong family).
My parents-in-law live with us to help to look after my son. With their help, I can focus on my work and have a competitive salary better than my husband’s. I think they are satisfied living with us because they sleep in the best room in my home [she and her husband bought this flat], and my husband, my son and I sleep in the small bedroom, but I always appreciate their support and will repay this in their later life.
8. Discussion and Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Criterion | Requirements |
---|---|
Annual income | Minimum CNY 100 K per year (about GBP 11,401). |
Occupation | Specialist or skilled job, or work at a managerial, or comparable, level, either in the state or private sectors. |
Education | Above bachelor’s degree or college degree. |
Hukou | Urban household registration |
House/car | Own a house and/or car, either with a mortgage or outright ownership. Lives in a gated community. |
Self-identity | Seeks a lifestyle rather than a living and interested in self-exploration and self-actualisation. |
Family | Generations and Ages | Incomes of Households (Per Year) and Property Ownership |
---|---|---|
Li | Mr. G1—86, Mrs. G1—85. | G1 around CNY 100 K (about GBP 11 K). G1 own one apartment for their occupation. |
Mr. G2—61, Mrs. G2 (D1)—62. | G2 around CNY 250 K (about GBP 27 K). G2 own two apartments, one for their occupation and one for their daughter (G3-D). | |
G3-wife (34, daughter), husband (35). G4—two girls. | G3: CNY 300 K (about GBP 33 K) | |
Hao | Mr. G1—82. | G1 around CNY 80 K (about GBP 8 K). G1 owns one apartment for occupation. |
Mr. G2—62, Mrs. G2 (D1)—60. | G2 around CNY 400 K (about GBP 43 K). G2 own three apartments, one for living, one for a holiday home, and one in a good school district for their granddaughter’s, G4′s, education. | |
G3-wife (34, daughter), husband (34). G4—one girl was of primary-school age. | G3: CNY 650 K (about GBP 71 K) and own one apartment for G3/G4′s occupation. | |
Mrs. G1—83. | G1 around CNY 60 K (about GBP 6 K). G1 owns two apartments; one for Mrs. G1′s occupation, and another for G2-S1′s occupation. | |
Mr. G2(S1)—62, Mrs. G2—60. | G2 around CNY 80 K (about GBP 8 K). G2 live in one of G1′s apartment. | |
G3-wife (34, daughter), husband (36). | G3: CNY 150 K (about GBP 16 K). G3 live with husband’s mother, who owns the flat. | |
Huo | Mr. G1—79, Mrs.G1—80. | G1 around CNY 70 K (about GBP 7 K). G1 live with their second daughter (G2-D2), and the apartment was bought by their youngest son (G2-S3). |
Mr. G2 (S1)—56, Mrs. G2—60. | G2 around CNY 220 K (about GBP 24 K). G2 own two apartments, one for living, one for their son (G3-S). | |
G3-S (25, son). | G3: CNY 130 K (about GBP 14 K). | |
Ye | Mr. G1—85, Mrs. G1—84. | G1 around CNY 100 K (about GBP 11 K). G1 own one apartment for living. |
Mr. G2—60, Mrs. G2(D1)—60. | G2 around CNY 180 K (about GBP 19 K). G2 own two apartments, one for living, and one is rented to increase income. | |
G3-wife (33), husband (33, son). | G3: USD 80 K (about GBP 61 K). G3 own a house in the US and were supported financially by G2. | |
Zhao | Mrs.G1—86. | G1 around CNY 70 K (about GBP 7 K). G1 own one apartment for living. |
Mr. G2—63, Mrs.G2(D1)—62. | G2 around CNY 250 K (about GBP 27 K). G2 own two apartments, one for living, and one for their daughter (G3-D) and her husband. | |
G3-wife (daughter), husband. | G3: CNY 250 K (about GBP 27 K). | |
Wang | Mr. G1—87, Mrs. G1—87. | G1 around CNY 80 K (about GBP 8 K). G1 own one apartment for living. |
Mr. G2 (S1)—63, Mrs. G2—61. | G2 around CNY 250 K (about GBP 27 K). G2 own two apartments, one for living, and one is rented to earn more income. | |
G3-wife (33, daughter). | G3: CNY 200 K (about GBP 22 K). G3 owns a flat in Beijing, which was financially underpinned by G2. | |
Kong | Mr. G2—60, Mrs. G2—59. | G2 around CNY 80 K (about GBP 8 K). G2 sold their flat to help G3 to buy their first apartment and they now live with G3. |
G3-wife (35, daughter), husband (41). G4—one boy, and one girl. | G3: CNY 400 K (about GBP 44 K). G3 own two apartments, one for G2/G3/G4 to live as an extended family and another for rent. | |
Han | Mr. G2—63, Mrs. G2—62. | G2 around CNY 80 K (about GBP 8 K). G2 own a flat in their hometown. |
G3-wife (36), husband (36, son). G4—one boy | G3: CNY 700 K (about GBP 77 K). G3 own a flat and they were planning to buy a school-district apartment. | |
Fu | Mr. G2—68, Mrs. G2—67. | G2 around CNY 220 K (about GBP 24 K). G2 own two apartments, one in Tianjin and one in Qingdao. |
G3-wife (40), husband (41, son). G4—one girl (12). | G3: CNY 800 K (about GBP 88 K). G3 own one apartment. |
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Wang, L.; Gilroy, R. The Role of Housing in Facilitating Middle-Class Family Practices in China: A Case Study of Tianjin. Sustainability 2021, 13, 13031. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313031
Wang L, Gilroy R. The Role of Housing in Facilitating Middle-Class Family Practices in China: A Case Study of Tianjin. Sustainability. 2021; 13(23):13031. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313031
Chicago/Turabian StyleWang, Lu, and Rose Gilroy. 2021. "The Role of Housing in Facilitating Middle-Class Family Practices in China: A Case Study of Tianjin" Sustainability 13, no. 23: 13031. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313031