Chapter 165: Long-term Rental Project

Chen Hong's brain had a big hole poked in it by Yang Qing.

Can we still play like that?

Then isn't their Jiedao filthy rich?

"If Jiedao takes so much money, wouldn't that be bad?"

Yang Qing said indifferently.

"We hand over a portion to the district; the rest is what Jiedao earned through our own efforts—what's the problem?"

"What, you don't even allow people to solve their own problems?"

"Jiedao is so short of housing—will the district fix that? Jiedao has so many unemployed—will the district fix that? Jiedao has so many widowed elders, orphans, and many refugees—will the district fix all of them?"

"They can't solve it; we're self-reliant, hard at work, not adding trouble to the district."

"As long as the people's lives improve, that's a good Jiedao."

In Chen Hong's mind, the hole Yang Qing blew out was instantly filled with all sorts of weird stuff.

"Exactly, we've always persisted in self-reliance and hard struggle."

"Family farms, breeding centers, agricultural technology stations, plus the house-building you mentioned."

"We're doing this through self-reliance."

"Isn't this exactly what's been advocated all along?"

"Indeed, no problem."

"But building houses—isn't that too expensive? With Jiedao's meager funds, we'd have to wait till the Year of the Monkey and Horse Month."

"Jiedao has just launched these projects; I'm afraid building houses can't be done quickly."

"Do you have a way?"

Yang Qing waved his hand.

"Go ahead and take care of this; if they ask, we'll just give them an idea—no harm—but going all out to help thoroughly isn't worth it."

"If you get it done, they'll think it's your ability; if not, they'll think you're holding back."

"You're neither here nor there."

Chen Hong is a bit emotional.

"How could that be? Wan Ling treats me well—she's one of my few friends in Jiedao."

Yang Qing chuckled.

"Is your relationship really good? You've been close for so long, yet you've never come to my place?"

"Besides, you've only been in Jiedao a short while—do you think you can see a person clearly in that time?"

"When it comes to matters of benefit, you can never be too careful."

"If she takes the lead on this, she must bear responsibility—30%? Do you know how much pressure that puts on others?"

"A house built, even if just a shell, costs around two or three hundred."

"Thirty percent would be nearly a hundred."

"Although my method carries little risk, even a small risk is still a risk."

"Our courtyard's rooms rent for no more than three per month."

"One year brings in 36, so it would take ten years to break even."

"With such a long payback period, if Jiedao sees this project as a burden causing a loss, they might want to drop it."

"You say, should she bear responsibility?"

"Often, even if you're right, you can't make it clear."

"Not to mention the grudges and feuds among Jiedao staff."

Chen Hong rolled her eyes.

"Where are there so many open and secret struggles? That's just your imagination; our Jiedao is still fine."

Yang Qing didn't argue with her about this either.

"Anyway, I'm only talking about the housing project."

"If Jiedao intends to make this a basic service item, we can attract people to sign long-term leases by offering cheaper long-term rental housing."

"For example, 2 per month—24 a year, 120 for five years, 240 for ten years—with that money we could solve many people's housing problems at once."

"We can also, when housing is tight, rush to build; whoever needs a house signs a ten-year contract, using the tenant's money to build Jiedao's houses."

"For those urgently needing housing for marriage, it might even be very popular."

"If you're bolder, collect money first then build houses, set several standards—for example, those who pay more get a better build, those who pay less rent get a simpler one."

"Then after ten years, when the contracts end, Jiedao will have more rental income, while Jiedao never invested a single cent."

"It both serves the people and increases Jiedao's income, and also brings more work to Master Lei, letting them arrange more."

"If all of Jingcheng learns from us, Master Lei's construction team could go independent, form a construction company, bear its own profits and losses—not only would it free Jiedao of its burden, but also add more positions and give Jiedao more income."

Having said this, Yang Qing realized he'd spoken too much again.

This habit of talking too much needs to be fixed.

Chen Hong, however, listened with her eyes lighting up, yet she said:

"Wouldn't this be bad? Isn't this just riding on the people's coattails?"

"Moreover, creating tiers is not conducive to unity."

Yang Qing rolled his eyes.

"If you feel it's against your conscience, you can extend the lease."

"Extend it to twenty years, and you'll all profit."

"The money doesn't come from you, yet you still feed a bunch of construction workers—what a good thing."

Now private ownership of housing is no longer allowed; if we want to solve the housing problem, what other method could we use besides this one?

We can't possibly have everyone keep having more kids, with families of ten or more, all living in one room.

(That's how it used to be in the city.)

Are we supposed to wait for the street office to allocate housing? The street office has no money—how can this problem be solved?

He talked too much again, so Yang Qing simply covered his own mouth.

I won't say, I won't say—I just can't keep my mouth shut.

Chen Hong laughed hehe.

She felt Yang Qing was a bit cute.

While telling herself not to do this thankless, troublesome thing, she also gave herself an idea.

The next day, Chen Hong told Wan Ling about the real estate project.

Wan Ling, at first, could not accept this thing that was ahead of its time.

She widened her eyes, full of suspicion.

Will this work? Making the masses pay money for the street office to build houses?

Wouldn't we be drowned in spit?

Chen Hong's ardent heart was instantly doused with a basin of cold water.

But since she was her good sister, Chen Hong's expression stiffened for a moment, then she began to explain how to do it.

Our project can be called the Long-term Rental project; at first we will use the street office's funds to build three types of houses.

Then we will look for tenants.

If someone approves the long-term rental model, won't our construction costs be recovered?

The rent collected for each house type will be used to build that same type of house.

For those with less urgent demand, we can even sign contracts and collect money first, then build the houses.

Anyway, this model carries low risk and high feasibility.

It just depends on whether you do it or not.

Only the meticulous Wan Ling understood what Chen Hong meant.

You mean we should add a long-term rental business to our street office's rental operations?

That doesn't require building new ones at all—our street office still has some vacant rooms.

Chen Hong really regretted it now; with that brain of hers, she scolded angrily.

Those houses are meant to solve people's livelihood issues; if you turn them all into long-term rentals, you'll leave the masses unable to survive—not every family has that much money for long-term rent.

How are those without steady work, living on odd jobs, supposed to get by?

Wan Ling was scolded by Chen Hong and finally realized how foolish her idea had been.