Three children play in a playground accompanied by their parents and grandparent. Photo: VCG

At least 13 cities across China have implemented preferential housing policies, starting from May, to encourage families with two or three children to buy more homes. The incentives include breaking the property-purchasing limit which allows one household to buy only one or two houses, and offering housing loans and subsidies.  

Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province said on Tuesday that households with three children are allowed to buy one more house than the number indicated by the local homebuying restrictions. Such families will also enjoy priority in lotteries over other prospective buyers when purchasing newly built houses. 

Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu Province, Dongguan in South China's Guangdong Province and Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning Province also implemented similar housing policies. 

Other cities have increased the credit limit in housing provident funds or provided subsidies for families with more children. Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang Province has lifted the credit limit 20 percent higher than the usual maximum limit.

Jingdezhen in East China's Jiangxi Province said it would give 200 yuan (roughly $30) per square meter to second-child families and 300 yuan per square meter to third-child families for house purchasing.

China's newborn population dropped to 10.6 million last year, the lowest birth rate since 1949, with negative natural growth rate seen in at least 11 provinces. East China's Jiangsu Province turned negative for the first time since 1949 and Northeast China's Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin Province continued to have negative natural growth rates.

Global Times