Closer Look: New Policies on Housing Are a Mixed Bag

(Beijing) – The latest housing control policies were introduced on February 20 by Premier Wen Jiabao at an executive meeting of the State Council, the last such meeting for the outgoing government.

The policies arrive amid surging housing prices in some major cities.

The policies addressed five areas. First, local governments should make controlling home prices an annual objective and establish a system to assess officials’ performance in stabilizing prices.