Editorial | No instant answer to the housing problem
- As Chief Executive John Lee concedes, his Light Public Housing blueprint is only a starting point. It will take more than quick fixes to turn affordable housing into a reality
It says something when a “no frill” version of subsidised flats has become a quick fix for the housing crunch in Hong Kong. The so-called Light Public Housing, the latest brainchild of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, was certainly not conceived as an alternative like a “light” meal or a soft drink for the health conscious.
If anything, it underlines the harsh reality that there is no overnight solution to the housing conundrum.
Unlike some “light” brands which are nothing more than marketing tricks, the government said the quasi transitional flats are a necessary step to ease the short-term shortage. It was referring to the estimate that most of the “traditional” flats in the production plan would not be ready until after five years. The new scheme is therefore a stopgap measure to meet short-term housing needs.
Upon completion, the 30,000 prefabricated living spaces on five to six sites can reduce the notoriously long waiting time, from currently six years to 4½ years by 2026, according to the government.
Welcoming as it seems, the initiative has also fuelled criticism that it is just a numbers game. Critics say it is seemingly just a copy of similar transitional housing projects run by non-government organisations. Those allocated with an interim unit can continue to queue for a standard one.