In a decision which appears to do nothing but highlight the wrongfulness of previous policies, the Supreme People's Court ruled yesterday that courts can turn down government requests to demolish housing if the compensation for residents is deemed unfair. more ›

"PROPERTY owners and tenants must register their contracts with the city starting in October under threat of punishment for the first time, senior government officials said yesterday. Effective October 1, new rules will start across the city as Shanghai moves to further regulate the mainstream residential leasing market. Some 30 million square meters of residential space are rented, Pang Yuan, deputy head of the Shanghai Municipal Housing Support and Building Administration Bureau, told a press conference in announcing the rules. Under the new law, real estate agencies will be responsible for such registration if they help bridge the deals, whereas individual owners and tenants should register their activities themselves with local community affairs service centers. The registration must take place within 30 days of contract signing." [Shanghai Daily] more ›

The Shanghai Daily reports that in Luwan, people who want to raise dogs will only be allowed to do so pending the agreement of their neighbors. Here's what they say:

The pilot program has been launched in the district in a bid to avoid neighborhood disputes caused by dogs, the district's public security bureau director said yesterday. more ›