Wenzhou Homeowners Told They'll Be Charged to Renew Land-Use Permits

(Beijing) – The city of Wenzhou says it will charge homeowners hundreds of thousand yuan to have land-use permits renewed, a move one law professor says is unjustifiable under the current legal framework.

Land officials in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, published a document on April 16 that said homeowners who bought homes built on land the government said could be used for 20 years must pay to have the permits renewed so they can continue own their homes legally.