This Is What It Looks Like When Chinese Homeowners Say ‘F*ck You’ To Developers


China is one of the most powerful nations on earth. No truer is this then when it comes to its technological and military might. The most populous country in the world is also a hotbed for new residential and commercial developments. From shopping malls and plazas to apartment buildings and complexes – China is truly on the move and in par with its rapidly growing economy.

In recent years, however, the country has also seen a civil war among property owners and commercial developers. The symbol of this war-for the property owners-is “nail houses.” These unattractive and poorly built structures stand alone amid the ruins of other buildings. While they stick out like a sore thumb, they do represent solidarity among land owners that have stood their ground and resisted demolition.

Why Nail Houses?

Whether they own the property-or the land the property sits on-owners have remained defiant for one main reason. This, of course, is low compensation being offered by wealthy developers and architectural firms. So intense is this battle that the Chinese courts are backlogged with cases revolving around commercial development and defiant property owners. Even with this going on, construction continues to soar all around them.

While a few home and property owners have won their fights – many have not. As a way to fight for justice-especially for those that have lost their cases-nail houses have truly become powerful symbols of resistance against greedy developers. These shanty-like homes are also a blow to the heart of the world’s fastest growing major economy, which seems to have been hijacked by the new robber barons and masters of gentrification.

 

chinese homeowners
A “nail house,” the last building in the area, sits in the middle of a road under construction in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, on April 10, 2015. According to local media, the owner of the house didn’t reach an agreement with the local authority about compensation of the demolition. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A half-demolished apartment building stands in the middle of a newly built road thanks to a Chinese couple that refused to move in Wenling, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, on November 22, 2012. Luo Baogen, 67, and his 65-year-old wife waged a four-year battle to receive more compensation than was offered by the local government of Daxi, a Chinese newspaper said. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A nail house sits surrounded by a ditch at a construction site for a new residential compound in Xiangyang, Hubei province, on November 19, 2013. The family living inside had refused to move out due to a disagreement over their compensation plan, local media reported. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A nail house stands in the center of a construction site which will be developed as a new apartment zone in Chongqing Municipality on February 4, 2009. The owners of the house insisted in seeking more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home, local media reported. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A man rides his bicycle past a partially demolished building in the middle of a street next to residential construction sites in Xi’an on August 14, 2013. According to local media, the owner of the house refused to move as a protest against a land-dispute lawsuit between him and his brother, which he lost. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A car drives past next a partially demolished building in the middle of a street in Xi’an on August 14, 2013. A family of seven still lived in the three-story building without electricity and water after a demolition project in the region took place in 2010. Image and Caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A nail house stands in the center of a construction site which will be developed as a new apartment zone in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on November 28, 2007. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
The owner Zhao Xing, 58, collects water near his partially demolished nail house, the last house in the area, at a construction site in Kunming, Yunnan province, on October 30, 2010. Zhao refused to move due to unsatisfactory compensation for his house, even as the water and electricity supplies of his house were cut, local media reported. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A small nail house stands on the square in front of a shopping mall in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province, on November 13, 2007. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
Chinese workers build around a “nail grave” mound 10 meters high, at a construction site in a village in Taiyuan, China, on December 6, 2012. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
This picture taken on December 6, 2012, shows Chinese workers building around a “nail grave” mound 10 meters high, at a construction site in a village in Taiyuan, north China’s Shanxi province. The owner of the grave and the construction consortium were arguing over compensation to be paid. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A platform has been built to allow a family tomb to be relocated, in Taiyuan, China, on December 13, 2012, after the owner of this “nail grave” reached an agreement with the construction consortium and would receive 800 yuan ($128) in compensation. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
The last remaining grave atop a mound surrounded by a construction site in a village in Taiyuan, China, on December 6, 2012. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
Zheng Meiju walks towards her partially demolished nail house in Rui’an, Zhejiang province, on July 17, 2013. Zhang, the owner of the house, refused to move due to dissatisfaction of the compensation since the demolition project began, making way for a new business plaza. She had been living in the house for nearly a year, even though the water and electricity supply were cut in early 2013, local media reported. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A six-floor villa sits alone in a construction site in the central business district of Shenzhen on April 17, 2007. Choi Chu Cheung, the owner of the villa, and his wife Zhang Lian-hao, refused to accept the compensation offered by the developer who plans to build a financial center on the site. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A building sits on an island of land amid construction all around on March 21, 2007, in Chongqing, China. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A building sits on its own island of land amid construction all around it, on March 22, 2007, in Chongqing Municipality, China. The homeowner, who has hung a banner and the national flag in protest, had refused to sell to a developer who went ahead with construction around the site. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
A partially demolished nail house at a construction site in Hefei, Anhui province, China, on February 2, 2010. The owner of the house was attempting to seek more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home, local media reported. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
Workers demolish the lone holdout house on a construction site in Chongqing on April 2, 2007. Authorities tore down the house after a three-year standoff that hindered a construction project and captivated the nation.Workers demolish the lone holdout house on a construction site in Chongqing on April 2, 2007. Authorities tore down the house after a three-year standoff that hindered a construction project and captivated the nation. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

Chinese Homeowners
The demolition of the last holdout house in the area, at a construction site in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on January 8, 2008. The owners of the house had filed but lost a lawsuit against the developer of the land to seek more compensation before agreeing to the demolition of their home. The land will be used for a high-rise apartment project. Image and caption via The Atlantic

 

Chinese Homeowners
Excavators tear down the five-story “nail house” apartment building in the middle of a newly built road in Wenling, China. Local authorities said that the house was bulldozed on December 1, 2012, after its owners, the duck farmer Luo Baogen and his wife, agreed to accept compensation of $40,000. Image and caption via The Atlantic.

 

The Outcome

With new nail houses being erected daily, Chinese homeowners have basically given the finger to developers. One might argue, however, that these homeowners are slowing down the economic advancement of the country – really? It seems the real estate market – especially commercial – tends to only serve the needs of the developers and their contractors. Yes, it’s true that jobs are created and commerce does flourish – then why the low ball offers for land and property that has been around for decades?

In recent months, some property owners have given us to these laughable offers – and seen their homes demolished within seconds. Most owners, however, will continue the struggle until their demands are met in full!

 

Featured Image via The Atlantic.