Money

SOHO residents closer to closure

By XU FAN (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-25 07:50

Workers count votes during the election for residents committee candidates at Jian Wai SOHO on Monday. Huang Liang / for China Daily

Owners pick 12 candidates for summer poll

A dispute that has raged in one of the city's top residential communities for the past two years over who should represent owners' interests came a step nearer resolution Monday when 12 candidates were selected to stand in elections tentatively slated for June or July.

The 12 will now undergo a 15-day public check before being declared eligible to stand in the elections for a residents committee at the Jian Wai SOHO building.

Those selected for the committee will represent 1,090 property owners and decide important issues on the day-to-day running of the community, including the awarding of a 57-million-yuan annual building management contract.

Controversy has raged at the complex since 2008 when property owners accused the previous residents committee of corruption and mismanagement. That committee folded in February 2009.

Since then, the building has not had a residents committee.

With the control of so much money at stake, some in the building are concerned about the fairness of the election to find a replacement committee.

"We walked a long way to struggle for the election. I couldn't help weeping while standing on the podium to make my election speech," said Zhang Hongjing, 60, an influential candidate among the 12 seeking to be elected to the committee in the summer. Zhang was also head of the team that laid the ground for the election of the new committee. At the same time, a rival election is being organized in the complex.

Former committee head Han Bing, who says he has the support of 400 property owners, wants to hold a separate election for a residents' committee, according to Beijing Youth Daily.

However, Han's rival election has been deemed illegal because the residents committee he was part of ceased to exist in February 2009 when six of the seven committee members resigned, according to Jian Wai Street sub-district office.

Zhang told METRO some residents were worried about her security in view of the confused environment in the building. She said a billionaire owner offered to hire two bodyguards for her as she began campaigning in the election she describes as "too dirty and extremely complicated".

Zhang said about 20 helmet-wearing guards patrolled the voting place on Monday when 158 owners attended to pick the 12 candidates.

She said the guards checked everyone's documents.

"I was so upset to witness such a nervous atmosphere," she said. "It should be a very peaceful and friendly democratic activity but the huge commercial profits at stake are driving people crazy."

All residential communities have the right to elect an owners' committee. Committees usually consist of between five and 11 members and represent the interests of all owners. Among the committees' tasks is awarding of contracts to property management companies. In an upscale building such as Jian Wai SOHO, such contracts are worth millions and there is potential for residents committees to be bribed by companies bidding for such contracts.

Elections for residents committees must be carried out under the guidance of the local government and within the law.

Most owners of units in the Jian Wai SOHO building are business operators and members of the social elite. Many live for much of the year in other cities and even in foreign countries.

Following the public checks on the 12 candidates, the next stage will be to persuade 51 per cent of residents to vote in the election to chose the residents committee.

Shu Kexin, an expert on community affairs, said people who get involved in politics often start out by advocating for their rights through such committees.

"Jian Wai is such a good example," he said.

Jian Wai SOHO was developed by real estate tycoon Pan Shiyi.

The building was managed by Scitech International Property Management Co Ltd until 2008, when the former residents committee was embroiled in the corruption allegations. The contract with Scitech was subsequently terminated.

Pinnacle Realty Management International, which claims to be the Beijing-based branch of the biggest real estate management business in the United States, took over in 2009.

The local government subsequently said Pinnacle was not qualified to manage such a large community and could be subject to a fine of between 50,000 and 200,000 yuan.