{"word_count": 220, "character_count": 1513}
Workshop "Housing in Urban China: Policies, Practices and Comparative Approaches"Organization: Sciences Po, Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE),Center for  International Studies (CERI) &#38; Urban School Supported by the program  Cities are back in townPlace :  Sciences Po, Conference Room 56 rue Jacob, 75006 Paris Website: Housing in Urban ChinaSince the end of the 1990s, housing has become a crucial issue in China.  Moreover, the housing approach allows us to take into account a large  array of challenges facing contemporary Chinese society. Housing  industry is today one of main growth-driven economic sector. Homeowners  have emerged as a new social category, having high level of living  standards and high expectations. Real estate residences have completely  reshaped the urban landscape, creating a new social geography. But  problems have arisen. In sharp contrast with the past, large cities face  gentrification process, leading to social polarization between upper  class and underclass areas. Migrant workers meet more and more  difficulties to find a place to stay, and social housing is an issue of  growing concern for public policies. Because of the endless increase in  real estate prices, the new generation is facing serious difficulty to  have access to propriety but the older generations of homeowners expect  prices will further increase. Heritage conservation and urban planning  policies create difficulties between different levels of the  administration. 