Home truths: odds are stacked against single Hong Kong applicants for subsidised flats

Two-thirds of the 12,680 people trying their luck for a flat at a new subsidised housing development in Kai Tak are single, says the Urban Renewal Authority.

But the odds are stacked against them landing one of the 221 out of the 338 subsidised flats allocated to unmarried people at the De Novo project.

Of the designs on offer, eight are studios and 213 are one-bedroom flats sized between 300 and 400 sq ft. The 117 two-bed homes are reserved for family applicants. Singles can only apply for the smaller units.

So at best a single applicant has about a 2 per cent chance of success, given that some married couples may also opt for a smaller flat.

Late last year the authority revised the eligibility criteria for its first subsidised housing project as it allowed single people, who were originally excluded from the scheme, to buy the homes but with its income eligibility requirements almost halved from HK$60,000 to HK$33,500.

The Housing Authority says it will kick off its computer balloting process for the project in March to determine the flat selection sequence before starting the screening process, flat selection and sales. The first residents could move in as early as July.