Urban landscape of Jinan, capital of Shandong province [Photo by Peng Huanhuan/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

JINAN -- Over 600,000 households living in old residential communities in East China's Shandong province will benefit from a renovation program in 2021, according to a housing work conference held in provincial capital Jinan Thursday.

The province will also renovate 123,000 houses in shantytowns in 2021.

The renovations will be based on the wishes and opinions of residents as far as possible, said Wang Yuzhi, head of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department of Shandong Province.

Wang added that departments will strengthen coordination with suppliers of water, electricity and heating, and providers of communication services to work out the renovation plans while making specific policies in keeping with local conditions.

Shandong will also start construction of 1,540 public rental houses and grant rental subsidies to more than 39,000 households in 2021.