In April to June this year, a series of incidents involving cracked building structures and walls of residential units occurred in the Coconut Sea New Town community in Qiongshan District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, posing a serious threat to residents’ safety. As of June 8th, official statistics show that 359 homeowner units in the community have developed cracks, affecting the structures of 10 buildings, with some cracks being deep and accompanied by concrete falling off.
The first homeowner in the community noticed minor cracks on the walls of their home in mid-April, which initially did not attract much attention. By late May, the phenomenon of cracks accelerated and spread rapidly. Property management data indicates that the number of affected units increased from 290 to 359 by the end of May and early June.
According to a report from the “China Real Estate News,” on the afternoon of June 2nd, Ms. Wang, a resident of the 23rd floor of Unit 15 in Coconut Sea New Town, Haikou, was resting in the living room while children were playing. Suddenly, a muffled sound like something heavy dropping from upstairs was heard from outside the house. Startled, Ms. Wang followed the direction of the sound and found a piece of fallen concrete on the balcony floor, with cracks and concrete detachment on the balcony ceiling.
In addition to the balcony ceiling cracks, multiple rooms in Ms. Wang’s home have shown varying degrees of wall cracks. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that similar crack issues were not exclusive to her home but also reported by other residents in the community. Mr. Chen, a homeowner in the community, stated, “These cracks first appeared in April this year, with the majority surfacing in May and June, with some households having over twenty cracks.”
According to statistics from the Coconut Sea New Town Community Property Service Center, as of 4:30 PM on June 5th, a total of 359 homeowner units have reported wall cracks, and both the number of affected units and cracks is still on the rise…
Homeowners generally believe that the nearby “Maiying District Urban Renewal Project” is the main cause. The project, located in the Qiongshan District of Haikou, is managed by a subsidiary of China Railway Construction and involves pile foundation construction and earth excavation activities. The vibrations generated by the operation of large machinery are blamed for the damage to the building structures.
The project developer, Haikou Rongsheng Real Estate Co., Ltd. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Railway Construction), did not respond to media interview requests.
Homeowners’ demands are focused on halting construction, compensation, and transparency in the handling process. Some internet users express concerns about the quality of real estate in Hainan and call for stronger construction supervision and inspection standards.
To date, local government agencies have organized monitoring of indicators such as building tilt and crack depth, preliminarily ruling out major structural safety risks but have not issued evacuation notices.
The construction company and design institute plan to develop reinforcement plans, but specific timelines and compensation standards have yet to be determined. Homeowners are anxious about the continuous expansion of cracks, demanding a halt to construction and the public disclosure of safety data.
The news of 359 homeowner units in the Coconut Sea New Town community in Qiongshan District, Haikou City, showing cracks, and the increasing number of affected units and cracks has garnered significant attention from the public.
A Weibo member, “ForexBull,” expressed disbelief, stating that many people devote their entire lives to owning a home, scrimping and saving to pay off the mortgage each month, only for the building to deteriorate before the loan repayment is completed.
Weibo member “WealthyLamb” commented, “This is really scary. But having issues with the house means the developer and property management are essentially of no help.”
Certified Shanghai real estate expert “Shanghai Homes” pointed out, “Cracks in buildings are related to construction techniques, materials used, and foundation settlement. Even minor soil settlement or loosening can cause cracks in buildings. Repairing and solidifying the foundation is the best fundamental solution. Of course, if there are issues with materials like reinforcement bars, the developer, construction company, supervisors, and inspectors will be held responsible for life.”