Families pick cheap housing

Almost 1,000 low-income families in Fangshan district began choosing their "capped-price" homes on Monday as part of Beijing's long-running housing project.

The selection process will last until March 1, while all 961 families are expected to have moved in by the end of 2012, according to the district affordable housing office.

Most of the 984 apartments, which are located in the center of Changyang town, are 87-square-meters and have two bedrooms, said office director Wang Weitao. They are sold at a fixed price of 5,600 yuan per square meter, almost one third of the market value for the area.