Motivations and barriers in becoming urban residents: Evidence from rural migrants living in public rental housing in Chongqing, China

Abstract

ABSTRACT The city of Chongqing in southwestern China has adopted a systematic set of urbanization policies since the late 2000s. Due to their emphasis on the role of the government and their scale, they deserve close attention. Yet, few studies have examined both positive and negative impacts of the urbanization policies regarding land acquisition, hukou conversion and urban housing as a complete process from rural migrants’ perspective. More longer-term empirical studies focusing on rural migrants’ reactions to the urbanization policies are needed. By conducting interviews with rural migrants, this paper aims to fill this gap. The results show that the migration intentions of rural migrants living in public rental housing are well-organized and purposive. The motivations for migration are not exclusively financial, but include the opportunities for better schooling and enhanced family bonds that come with living in public rental housing. Meanwhile, the institutional and social barriers faced by rural migrants were also identified. The goal of the paper is to enrich the understandings of the effects of urbanization policies in China.