ABSTRACT

This chapter provides the micro-level view of commercial residential community (CRC) governance, by tracing the formation and analyzes the dynamics and operational mechanisms of a homeowner organization in Fangya Garden CRC in Beijing. It outlines the factors behind the emergence of CRC governance as a process. It then discusses the formation and operation of Fangya Garden CRC in Beijing. This chapter summarizes the key features of CRC governance, shows that a trigger event could lead to conscious mobilization, and reflects on what is meant by governance as a process. Urban China, the restless landscape, has experienced a dramatic reconstruction over the last few years, which has resulted in a substantial reconfiguration of spatial structures and communities. One outcome of the development is the emergence of commercial residential areas. The CRC is such a new entity in urban China, and because most Chinese urban residents lack experience with self-governance, the CRC governance has emerged as a gradual process.