TWENTY applicants for government-subsidized housing were each fined 5,000 yuan (US$756) for falsifying their applications, Chinese-language media reported yesterday.
The city housing and construction bureau Tuesday had informed the 20 applicants of the fines by phone, the Daily Sunshine reported.
Eight have picked up the fine notices at the bureau, an unidentified bureau official told the Daily.
The official said most were fined for lying about their property ownership in their application forms. They were also deprived of the right to apply for any kind of government-subsidized accommodation for three years, the official said.
False financial documents were rampant in applications for government low-cost housing last year when city authorities started processing applications. Many households claimed to have no family assets so they would appear eligible for the housing. Earlier media reports said some applicants were living in upmarket housing estates after a name list of eligible applicants was published for public scrutiny.
The result of the last round of official assessment was released on New Year s Eve and came under fire after a number of applicants on the list were suspected of concealing assets.
A businessman was removed from the final list after the authorities received numerous reports of false information on his application form. (SD News)
