The Global Times interviews Shu Kexin, who shares his thoughts on incipient democracy in homeowners’ associations:
GT: How is the current situation of homeowners’ associations in Beijing?
Shu: I think around 30 percent of communities in Beijing have established homeowners’ associations, but only a few are really in operation.
Elite homeowners usually aim to organize a committee of homeowners, instead of establishing a homeowners’ association and holding conferences. In fact, the committee of homeowners is elected by the homeowners’ association and is only coordinating votes and conferences among all homeowners.
But now most of the members of homeowner committees and those who want to be elected as members believe that once they are elected committee members, they can make decisions for all homeowners.
I’ve been promoting community self-government for over 10 years and haven’t managed to change this way of thinking.
