Abuse of public housing in a city with a long waiting list for such units is to be taken seriously. The irregularities recently unearthed by the ombudsman are highly damaging to a government that makes adequate housing supply the top priority. Officials of the relevant authorities should be held accountable for failing to keep the units in the hands of those with genuine needs.

Credit goes to the ombudsman for taking the lead to examine one of the city's most sought-after benefits for low-incomer earners. Having reviewed some 60 cases handled by the Housing Authority and Housing Society, the watchdog found what appears to be a pattern of laxity towards enforcement against dual tenancy - in which tenants are given more than one flat. In one case, a father and his three grown-up sons were allowed to occupy three units for up to eight years. Another case saw a son inheriting his father's unit, even though he already owns a HK$3 million private flat.

Taxpayers can be excused for feeling outraged that their money is being used to subsidise the undeserved. It does not do justice to the 250,000 applicants, who need to wait more than three years for a unit. More disturbing is that the authorities do not have an idea of how widespread the abuse is. The authority issued monthly alerts to the other housing body on double benefits, but the mechanism is clearly ineffective.