Editorial | Temporary flats not answer to permanent Hong Kong housing problem
- Tens of thousands of people on Hong Kong’s waiting list for public flats want homes of the required standard, not stopgap measures
The housing crisis has proved to be a major challenge for successive governments in Hong Kong. After months of deliberation by the new administration, the project to house poor families in temporary units is about to get off the drawing board.
This is no doubt welcome news to many who are living in substandard accommodation while waiting for subsidised rental flats.
Unlike the public housing system, the provision of more basic units under the so-called light public housing scheme is a bridging option for tens of thousands of applicants who have been waiting ages in the queue.
Under the latest proposals, no fewer than 30,000 flats will be built at eight sites, including three in urban areas, over the next five years. Their total cost has been reduced by about HK$1 billion (US$128 million) to HK$26.4 billion.
Monthly rent for a 140 sq ft flat will start at HK$780, while the largest unit, measuring 330 sq ft that fits up to five people, will cost up to HK$2,650. More than 10,000 homes, to be completed in four years, will be located at a prime urban site in Kai Tak, according to authorities.
The provision of more units in urban areas comes following pressure from lawmakers for greater accessibility and convenience for residents.