Fifty apartment buildings renovated by the government of Waigang town in Shanghai's Jiading district for the purpose of attracting talent have recently opened to the public, local media reported.

Zuo Chenggong, an employee at the local TI Automotive Co, was the first to benefit from the policy.

His new one-bedroom-one-parlor apartment features simple furnishings and is equipped with all the necessary facilities, including furniture, a TV, air conditioning, a kettle, and a gas card.

"This is the best gift I've ever received. I felt warm and cozy the first time I stepped into the apartment," Zuo said. He bought a pair of Spring Festival couplets to celebrate and has invited a group of friends for housewarming party. 

Zuo said he used to live in a house that costs 1,800 yuan ($258) per month, which was a lot for him. But the new policy has enabled him to have his rent reduced or exempted for two years.

An official from the local government said that the talent apartment policy, implemented in August last year, has begun to produce results for local farmers, companies and their employees.

He said the policy was formulated based on a large-scale survey of local companies and residents. Many companies said that the high rent prices have made it difficult for them to attract and retain talents, while many farmers reported that they have surplus housing after the reclamation of rural residential land but are afraid of the tenants disturbing others and causing poor sanitation conditions if they rent out the apartments.

Taking into account their concerns, the local government repossessed 50 idle houses in four residential communities which have one-bedroom-one-parlor apartments or two-bedrooms-one-parlor apartments. It then turned them into talent apartments for local companies.

"Talent apartments are great for attracting and retaining talents and enable us to focus more on our main businesses and seek sustainable development," said Zhang Hua, manager at the TI Automotive Co.

Over 10 companies based in Waigang town have applied to rent the talent apartments. The allocation of the houses will be decided by the company's contribution to local economic and social development and the number of vacant houses.

The policy is only a small part of Waigang's efforts to help local companies. The town will continue to optimize its business environment and attract more companies and talents to boost its economy.

The one-bedroom-one-parlor apartment rented by Zuo Chenggong from TI Automotive Co features a simple furnishing style and is equipped with all the necessary facilities. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]