"For 26 years, our residential complex has never had a homeowners' committee, and public revenue has never been disclosed!" Recently, many residents of Buildings E and F at the Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center East Hall in Xuhui District voiced their grievances. Since its sale in 1999, this mixed-use development—tightly integrated with commercial spaces—has faced persistent hurdles in forming a homeowners' committee, leaving residents' rights to information and oversight in limbo.

**Where Does Public Revenue Go?** Buildings E and F, located in central Xuhui, are typical mixed-use towers. Public records and residents confirm the 30-story buildings feature commercial spaces below the 5th floor and residential units above, housing over 300 households in a three-elevator, six-unit layout.

"From 1999 to today—25 years—no committee has been established, and details about public revenue or property fee expenditures remain undisclosed," multiple homeowners lamented.

The absence of a committee has left two major issues unresolved: opaque public revenue and unexplained fee hikes. "Income from elevator ads and public space rentals should belong to all homeowners, yet we’ve never seen accounts," one resident noted, pointing to leased tennis courts on the 4th-floor platform. Nearby, a derelict basketball court highlights wasted resources.

**Stealthy Fee Increases** Beyond murky finances, rising property management and parking fees have stirred discontent. One homeowner, Ms. Lu, shared receipts showing management fees climbing from ¥3 to ¥4 per square meter without justification. Parking fees have doubled from ¥500 to ¥1,000 monthly, straining budgets.

Visits to the packed underground garage revealed residents competing with commercial visitors for spots. "Parking is a daily struggle," a homeowner admitted.

**The 'Owner Registry' Roadblock** Local居委会 (neighborhood committee) staff cited incomplete owner registries as the primary obstacle, though街道 (subdistrict) offices claim progress via协调会 (coordination meetings). The property manager, Everbright Property, framed itself as "the developer’s executive arm," calling for clearer mixed-use governance policies. Repeated attempts to reach the convention center’s office failed.

Subdistrict authorities stated they’ve held monthly跟进 (follow-ups) with developers and quarterly居民沟通 (resident dialogues). Recent updates were shared with homeowners, but Everbright Property cited internal delays in submitting materials.

**Expert: Subdistrict Must Lead** Professor Yi Xiaoting of Shanghai Open University argued that街道 (subdistricts) must proactively obtain owner registries through administrative or公安 (police) channels, rather than shifting blame. "Withholding financial details may violate homeowners’ rights and even constitute crimes," she warned, urging街道 to spearhead committee筹备 (preparations) and audit public revenue.

For mixed-use complexes, Yi proposed piloting residential-first committees or interim "property management committees" to逐步破解 (gradually resolve) governance gaps.

After 26 years, many residents have aged without representation. "Mixed-use challenges can’t justify ignoring rights," they stressed, hoping for decisive action to finally empower the 300+ households.