Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam attempts to solve housing crisis in her policy address, but people from low-income group feel they were left high and dry

Lam’s policy address focused on solving city’s housing crisis by taking steps such as raising mortgage cap for first-time buyers

But low-income people say they had hoped for measures such as rent control, waiver of down payments and interest-free loans for the jobless

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Hong Kong’s low-income citizens feel Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s announcements on Wednesday will do little to help them. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 11:55pm, 16 Oct 2019Updated: 11:40am, 18 Oct 2019

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced a host of measures during her policy address on Wednesday aimed at improving citizens’ living quality and easing their financial burdens, but some people from lower-income groups who had hoped for a lifeline felt the measures would do little to help them.

The policy address focused heavily on measures to solve the city’s housing crisis by raising the mortgage cap for first-time buyers, resuming private land and developing brownfield sites for more public housing. However, those who wanted measures – such as rent control, a waiver of down payments and interest-free loans for the jobless – were left high and dry. The South China Morning Post spoke to three residents about how much they stood to benefit from the measures.

Starter homes renew hopes

Micky Chan got married last year, but lives apart from his wife because they have not been able to afford to buy a flat yet.

“It is a lifetime decision,” the 33-year-old optometrist said of buying a house.

“My wife and I were looking for ways to have a greater chance to buy a subsidised flat about four years ago. It turned out that being a family applicant could help. So, we got married last year without any fancy banquet, we just signed papers.”

The newlyweds now live with their respective parents to escape from the city’s rental trap. But Chan on Wednesday said Lam’s announcement of selling 1,000 dwelling units below market price under the second Starter Homes Pilot Project had renewed his hopes of buying a flat.