Housing official serves as pillar of urban renewal in Yangpu

Chen Ying, director of the Yangpu District Housing Development Center, has been a key figure in the transformation of aging residential areas in Shanghai.

For two decades, she has dedicated herself to improving living conditions in the former industrial and residential zone in the district.

She leads efforts that have rejuvenated both the outward appearance and the inner quality of old neighborhoods.

Since graduating from Tongji University and joining the district's housing authority in 2004, Chen has played a critical role in various renovation initiatives.

Her work has focused on blending urban renewal with livability, ensuring the most pressing needs of residents are met.

Chen's efforts have been instrumental in large-scale projects, particularly in old community and urban village renovation and the "Beautiful Homes" improvement initiatives.

"I was born, educated, and built my career in Yangpu," said Chen. "Seeing the old communities now transformed fills me with pride and strengthens my resolve to continue working toward a brighter future for Yangpu."

Since 2022, she and her team have completed over 60 percent of the district's renovation tasks.

This includes transformation of the Neijiang neighborhood, a project fraught with structural and spatial limitations.

"The difficulty was like trying to make a masterpiece in a tiny shell," Chen said. Despite constraints, she devised a solution that combined units to create enough space for essential additions, such as elevators, while maintaining the integrity of the buildings.

During the renovation project on the Fengnan No. 1 Community, another dilapidated neighborhood in the district, she and her team tailored the renovation plan to the unique conditions of the site, ensuring optimal use of space.

The strategy led to the recent Fengcheng No. 3 Community renovation project, where Chen's team achieved a record-breaking 100 percent agreement, signing, and relocation in just three days in April.

Chen has also been at the forefront of incorporating new resources into renovation projects. In the Dongdan Community project, she integrated various community resources into the redesign, including a 1,600-square-meter community service facility and the renovation of a local school.

The approach ensured that the renewal benefited the broader community, particularly by improving local educational resources, said Chen.

Chen has also pioneered the use of digital tools in urban renewal. She led the development of a neighborhood communication app and the Yangpu renovation WeChat mini-program, which streamlined communications and project management.

"Chen Ying has actively explored sustainable models for Yangpu's complex renovation projects, overcoming significant planning and regulatory hurdles," said Dai Hong, director of the Yangpu housing management bureau.

Chen said her philosophy centers on making sure that every project meets the specific needs of the community.

"In the construction field, repairs might seem small, but they are a big deal for the residents," Chen said.

"That's why I always tell my team, the best way to solve these problems is by listening to the people. We need to understand each community's unique characteristics and tailor our solutions accordingly."

One example of Chen's people-centered approach was seen in the renovation of the 400 Jungong Road neighborhood. During the project, her team discovered that residents were mostly concerned about the lack of parking spaces, rather than more traditional issues such as electrical wiring or drainage.

Chen focused on the point, guiding the design team to double parking capacity and improve the safety of electric vehicle charging points.

Thanks to Chen's leadership, the "Beautiful Homes" initiative has created model neighborhoods such as Liaoyuan Garden, Anshan 4th Community, and 400 Jungong Road neighborhood.

With her efforts, over 9 million square meters of old housing in Yangpu has been revitalized, and more than 200,000 households have seen their living conditions significantly improved.