On a brand new banner of Lingfeng Pharmaceutical Community in Hezhou, Guangxi, the words "Revitalize Old Gardens, Benefit People's Livelihood, Sincere Service, Warm Home" are particularly eye-catching. Behind it is the heartwarming changes that are happening in over 25800 old communities across the country this year.

In 2025, the renovation project of old urban communities across the country will continue to advance at a steady pace. 25800 new communities have been renovated in the first 11 months, and 22 regions including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Jiangxi, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have completed their annual plans ahead of schedule.

Annual answer sheet from scale transformation to refined completion

The renovation of old urban communities in 2025 has delivered a solid report card. According to data released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development, the number of new renovation projects started nationwide in the first 11 months has reached 25800, exceeding the annual target of 25000 ahead of schedule. Behind this achievement is the strong support that 22 regions across the country and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have already completed their annual renovation plans.

These numbers not only reflect the comprehensive progress of the renovation work, but also reveal that China's urban renewal work has shifted from pursuing scale expansion to focusing on refined implementation. Various regions have explored the scientific path of first conducting physical examinations and then updating in practice. Currently, 297 prefecture level and above cities and 152 county-level cities across the country have fully implemented urban physical examination work.

Through the evaluation of about 180000 residential areas and over 30000 communities, a detailed list of problems and rectification suggestions have been formed, providing reliable basis for precise renovation. When Shanghai is promoting the task of renovating toilets, it adopts a customized plan for each household according to different situations. For small spaces, relocation is carried out by pulling out households, while for structures with prominent problems, on-site reconstruction is implemented. For those involving historical features, protective repairs are carried out, fully reflecting the idea of refined renovation.

Deeply cultivate the temperature of people's livelihood with "embroidery skills"

In the face of the work in 2026, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development has proposed a clearer direction - to promote urban renewal with refined embroidery skills, which marks a new stage in the renovation of old residential areas. This concept requires that the renovation work should not only focus on the improvement of hardware facilities, but also pay attention to the integration of humanistic care, including the construction of complete communities, the creation of pocket parks, the opening and sharing of green spaces, and the implementation of warmth projects.

The connotation of transformation is constantly deepening, shifting from simple physical space transformation to comprehensive service function enhancement. The renovation case of Chang'an Community in Shenyang is quite representative. This community, built in the 1990s, completed a comprehensive renovation with an investment of about 110 million yuan in just six months.

The renovation not only includes basic projects such as roof waterproofing and weak current pipeline installation, but also adds barrier free facilities and caring leisure seats. At the same time, supporting facilities such as community comprehensive service stations, kindergartens, daycare centers, elderly service stations, and health service stations have been built, creating an age friendly community environment.

At the same time, innovative governance models explored in multiple regions have injected new vitality into the renovation of old residential areas. The fiscal support, departmental cohesion, and social sharing model formed in Guangzhou has integrated over 500 million yuan of government project funds and leveraged more than 70 million yuan of social co construction funds in 2024 alone.

Wenzhou Shuangjingfang is implementing a policy of simultaneous rent collection and development, with a focus on attracting new residents and retaining new housing. We respect the wishes of residents and flexibly utilize existing space; The government's platform setting, enterprise singing, and resident led collaborative governance model in Chengdu Yulin Community have transformed residents from bystanders to participants.

With the upcoming preparation of the 15th Five Year Plan for urban renewal, the renovation of old residential areas in China is moving towards a new stage of systematization, refinement, and humanization. From the tailored renovation of toilets in Shanghai, to the improved facilities in Chang'an community in Shenyang, to the magnificent transformation of dusty parking lots on the streets of Wuhu, every change responds to the people's yearning for a better life with invisible patience and visible warmth. Keywords: municipal engineering, engineering strategy, engineering construction

These changes together depict a picture of urban renewal meticulously crafted with embroidery skills. Behind the banner, there is a tangible improvement in the quality of life for millions of households, and a vivid portrayal of the continuous deepening of China's urban governance wisdom.Editor/Cheng Liting