Shanghai Chongming Container House
If container houses in Chongming, Shanghai, undergo housing renovations without approval, they are considered illegal structures, facing the risk of demolition and potential economic losses.
Determination of Illegality
According to Article 65 of the Urban and Rural Planning Law of the People's Republic of China, in township and village planning areas, any construction that has not obtained a rural construction planning permit in accordance with the law or has not been carried out in accordance with the provisions of the rural construction planning permit shall be ordered by the township or town people's government to stop construction and make corrections within a specified time limit; if corrections are not made within the time limit, the structure may be demolished. Container houses that undergo housing renovations, regardless of their use for residence, storage, or other functions, are considered illegal structures if they have not obtained relevant approval documents. For example, six container houses that appeared in Miaozhong Village, Miaozhen Town, Chongming District, were purchased by residents in a 'group-buying' manner and used for residence. However, due to the lack of approval, they were ultimately identified as illegal structures.
Safety Hazards
Container houses that undergo housing renovations have multiple safety hazards. Actions such as unauthorized electrical wiring and the illegal use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders can easily lead to fires or electric shock accidents. For example, during a special rectification campaign in Xianghua Town, it was found that some renovated container houses had unauthorized electrical wiring and the illegal use of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, posing significant safety hazards. In addition, some container houses may have originated from makeshift hospitals during the epidemic and have sanitation hazards, further threatening the health and safety of occupants.
Rectification Measures
The rectification efforts for container houses that undergo housing renovations in Chongming District have been continuously intensified. Through means such as legal publicity and special rectification campaigns, residents and enterprises are guided to consciously comply with laws and regulations. For example, the Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team in Xianghua Town has carried out legal publicity lectures, posted promotional banners, and played promotional videos through community studio platforms to enhance residents' awareness of the rule of law. At the same time, for identified illegal container houses, measures such as relocation and division are taken for disposal, and 'one-point-one-card' rolling updated promotional materials are formed to strive to handle one batch and educate one side.
