Huang yi, a senior computer engineer, has been living in Hangzhou since 1999. Though the IT industry pays well, he finds it very difficult to buy an apartment in Hangzhou without asking for help from his parents. As an independent young man, he decided that as long as the house prices remained ridiculously high, he would rent. Year in, year out, Huang still lives in a rented apartment, but deep in his heart, he hopes that there is a place in Hangzhou he can call home.

Huang yi belongs to the so called "sandwich class": they are the backbone of various units but they do not meet the requirements for budget homes, nor can they afford commercial housing.

Recently, Hangzhou municipal government initiated a three year phase talent housing project aiming to provide affordable housing for young professionals. Prices of the "talent houses" are about half of the commercial apartments. The application for talent houses is open to everyone.

The city is aiming to supply 5,000 units of "talent houses" totaling 500,000 square meters in 2010. It will start construction on December 26 and around 100 units will be promoted as a trial in the budget-rental housing project.

With a total investment of 880 million yuan (US$129 million), Banshan Tianyuan project will be finished in two years.

Talent housing is specially listed in Hangzhou's housing plan for the first time. Other housing projects include budget housing, relocation housing, low-rent housing, budget-rental housing and the renovation of old and dilapidated houses.

By Li Hui