Lack of space at home is top gripe of people aged 18-40, poll finds

"Overcrowding" and "lack of personal space" are the major complaints people aged 18 to 40 have about housing, a survey has found.

The study, conducted by the Junior Chamber International, found 91 per cent of respondents could only afford rents of less than HK$9,000 a month.

The survey was conducted from October 15 to December 15, and involved 1,068 respondents aged from 18 to 40.

It found 876 respondents had a permanent residence, but 56 per cent considered their homes overcrowded and lacking personal space.

Speaking at a press function announcing the survey results, Fred Li Wah-ming, a member of the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee, said 100,000 people had signed up for public rental housing as non-elderly, one-person applicants. But the government had no effective way to identify the ones who are in genuine need.

"The government should review the system so applicants on the waiting list are assessed based on their genuine needs," Li said.

Franklin Lam Fan-keung, the convenor of think tank Hong Kong Golden 50, said developing new towns was one way to solve the housing problem.

"But the government must consider building integrated communities, with sufficient facilities and job opportunities," Lam said.

Meanwhile, Michael Tien Puk-sun, vice-chairman of the New People's Party, said on a talk show that Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying should draft a five-year plan to shorten the waiting time for public rental flats.

He also urged Leung to devise a strategy to tackle the problem of subdivided housing, saying the city had about 70,000 at present.