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Hong Kong housing
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
SCMP Editorial

EditorialMore action, less talk on housing supply

  • The situation for the short term remains dire for those living in subdivided flats and those waiting for almost six years for subsidised homes

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Hong Kong public housing estates in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Dickson Lee
SCMP Editorial

The annual housing report by the Hong Kong government is more than a policy ritual. While it demonstrates commitment to addressing the city’s needs, it is also a reminder that affordable housing remains a distant goal. Even though officials claim they have secured more than enough land to meet the demand in the long run, the situation in the short and medium term is less than promising.

We trust Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is feeling the heat as the projected number of households living in subdivided flats, rooftop structures and other undesirable dwellings is expected to reach more than 127,000 over the next decade, the highest since she assumed office in 2017. No less worrying is the demand for public housing, with applicants facing an average waiting time of 5.9 years for a flat, the longest in 22 years.
The good news is that there seems to be more than enough land to meet the supply target. Building on last year’s landmark success in securing 330 hectares of land, the report says no fewer than 350 hectares have been identified for 330,000 new flats. The output surges to 564,000 to 686,000 in the 10 to 15 years after 2031-32, with at least 27 per cent of those coming from the Northern Metropolis, an ambitious plan by Lam to turn parts of the New Territories into an economic and residential hub.

This is a positive step in easing the housing crunch in the longer term. But it does nothing for those who are in the long queue for subsidised units. The report has once again confirmed the long-held concerns that the shortfall in the coming years would remain.

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That the waiting time would lengthen when demand outstrips supply is just mathematical certainty. The housing chief would not be drawn on whether the queue would become longer. Nor did he pledge to phase out subdivided flats. The lack of commitment does not square with Beijing’s hope of eliminating these shameful dwellings in the long run.

The current administration, to its credit, has been working hard to tackle the housing problems. But there is still a substantial gap with people’s expectations. Officials must strive to speed up the supply of affordable housing.

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