China builds road right around "nail house" as owner Luo Baogen refuses to sell

People stand near a house sitting in the middle of a new main road on the outskirts of Wenling city in east China's Zhejiang province, Nov. 22, 2012. / AP

BEIJING In the middle of an eastern Chinese city's new main road, rising incongruously from a huge circle in the freshly laid pavement, is a five-story row house with ragged edges. This is the home of the duck farmer who said "no."

Luo Baogen and his wife are the lone holdouts from a neighborhood that was demolished to make way for the main thoroughfare heading to a newly built railway station on the outskirts of the city of Wenling in Zhejiang province.

Dramatic images of Luo's home have circulated widely online in China this week, becoming the latest symbol of resistance in the frequent standoffs between Chinese homeowners and local officials accused of offering too little compensation to vacate neighborhoods for major redevelopment projects.

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There's even a name for the buildings that remain standing as their owners resist development. They are called "nail houses" because the homeowners refuse to be hammered down.

Nail house families occasionally have resorted to violence. Some homeowners have even set themselves on fire in protests. Often, they keep 24-hour vigils because developers will shy away from bulldozing homes when people are inside.

Xiayangzhang village chief Chen Xuecai said in a telephone interview Friday that city planners decided that Luo's village of 1,600 had to be moved for a new business district anchored by the train station. Chen said most families agreed to government-offered compensation in 2007.

Luo, 67, and a handful of neighbors in other parts of the new district are holding out for more.

"We want a new house on a two-unit lot with simple interior decoration," Luo told local reporters Thursday in video footage forwarded to The Associated Press.

Luo had just completed his house at a cost of about 600,000 yuan ($95,000) when the government first approached him with their standard offer of 220,000 ($35,000) to move out - which he refused, Chen said. The offer has since gone up to 260,000 yuan ($41,000).

Luo Baogen holds his land certificate as he stands next to his house in the middle of a newly built road in Wenling city in east China's Zhejiang province, Nov. 22, 2012.

/ AP

"The Luo family is not rich," Chen said, acknowledging that they can ill afford such a big loss on their home. "But the policy is what it is."

The new road to the railroad station was completed in recent weeks, and has not yet been opened for traffic.

What is unusual in Luo's case is that his house has been allowed to stand for so long. It is common for local authorities in China to take extreme measures, such as cutting off utilities or moving in to demolish when residents are out for the day.

Luo told local reporters his electricity and water are still flowing, and that he and his wife sleep in separate parts of the home to deter any partial demolition.

Deputy village chief Luo Xuehua - a cousin to the duck farmer - said he didn't expect the dispute to go on much longer. He said he expects Luo Baogen to reach an agreement with the government soon, though he said the homeowner's demands are unrealistic.

"We cannot just give whatever he demands," Luo Xuehua said. "That's impossible."

[thephelps]

It would be nice to have people to volunteer to stay in his house to help him and his family out.

[avalon288]

Don't be fooled. The Communist Chinese government has been taking privately owned land for many years and will continue to do so. This is just one exception. Farmland is routinely taken over, occupants removed and land paved over. The only rights a Chinese citizen has are the ones the government chooses to enforce.

[krisd999-2009]

The Chineese absolutely do have more property rights than americans. No property taxes either. They have a more capitalist system, that's why they are getting richer. In America you pay rent to the government and the whole financial and tax system is designed to keep you in debt. We have government schools to keep americans indoctrinated with socialist ideas.

[lennylampert]

What are you tslking about? You haven't a clue. People in China do not have even have the right to OWN property and only have the right to USE a piece of property for 70 years (and use is according to the rules set forth by the China government), after which time the government is free to take the property from them - with compensation, of course. But we know how that goes. Just ask Mr. Luo.

"A land user obtains only the land use right, not the land or any resources in or below the land. A land grant contract shall be entered into between the land user and the land administration department of the people's government at municipal or county level.

The land grant contract must be signed. Land use rights can be obtained from the land administration department by agreement, tender or auction. Regardless of the method by which the land use rights is granted, a contract for grant of land use right, or more commonly known as a land grant contract, must be entered into by the land user and the local land administration authority or municipal governments at or above the county level as grantor."

[Xenogogic]

Looks like a perfect location for a KFC, Starbucks, or Audi dealership.

[micmac666]

It's interesting that China would have eminent domain laws more protective of the homeowner than those in the U.S.

[dj_chi]

I'd hate to live there on a foggy morning when the traffic's picking up.

[newsjunkie_56]

Good one DJ.....and a valid point to boot! Thanks for lightening up the comments.

[pedalit]

now that's funny right there