Hong Kong could fall short of public housing supply targets by 8 per cent, a think tank estimates as it calls for transparency from government
- The government’s promise of backloaded supply just ‘wishful thinking’ and problem ‘may be more pessimistic’
- Report identified examples of ‘hidden delays’ in some projects, and called out officials’ reluctance to disclose details until requested
Hong Kong’s public housing supply in the next 10 years may fall short of the official target of 300,000 by 8 per cent, a think tank has estimated, as it called for greater transparency and accountability over the lack of homes from the incoming administration.
In a report released on Tuesday, Our Hong Kong Foundation noted the perennial delays in housing projects and pointed out that land immediately available for building private housing would be used up soon. Until new towns were ready, a few years of bottlenecks could be expected, it warned.
“The government has been talking about a backloaded supply since 2015, but it is just wishful thinking,” said Ryan Ip Man-ki, head of land and housing research, as the group released its yearly forecast of housing supply.
The report warned the situation could be just the “tip of the iceberg”, given the government’s reluctance to disclose details on delays unless it was requested by district councils or the Legislative Council.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced in her 2020 policy address that the government had located all 330 hectares of land needed to build 316,000 public flats in the decade leading to 2031, exceeding the 301,000 units targeted.