Local district governments are taking new measures to help young migrant professionals with housing.

From this year, Yangpu District government in the northeast has launched monthly housing grants of 200 yuan (US$28.57) to each non-local professional under the age of 30.

To qualify, migrant professionals need to hold a bachelor degree, have signed at least a two-year work contract with a company in Yangpu's five science and technology parks and have a monthly income of no more than 3,000 yuan.

The grants will go to migrants whose employer does not provide the applicant dorm facilities and when the professional does not own his or her own property in the city, Yangpu officials said.

"We are trying to attract and retain elite professionals to work in Yangpu by solving their substantial difficulties," said Sheng Junjie, director of the Yangpu District Personnel Bureau, adding that rising housing prices were young people's top headache.

Yangpu is home to about 700 young migrant professionals who work in about 120 fledging firms in the five science and technology parks including the incubation parks at Fudan University, Tongji University and the Shanghai University of Science and Technology.

Young professionals have to spend at least one-third of their monthly income renting homes, said Li Shiyao, member of the city's advisory body.

Earlier this year, Pudong announced its plan to build 1 million square meters of apartments to accommodate non-local professionals. Yangpu and Pudong said they are perfecting the policies.

(Shanghai Daily April 23, 2008)