Hong Kong, Guangdong authorities discuss new investigation system to catch out city’s public housing cheats with properties across the border

Housing minister Winnie Ho says talks under way to set up permanent investigation system, months after crackdown on cheats launched last October

Government statistics show almost 2,100 public housing properties reclaimed because of misuse and lease violations since last month

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Hong Kong is in talks with Guangdong province to set up a permanent checks system to crack down on city public housing tenants who own property across the border. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 5:50pm, 21 Jan 2024Updated: 9:26pm, 21 Jan 2024

Residents living in public housing in Hong Kong might face eviction if they are found to own property in Guangdong province under a new permanent investigation regime being discussed by authorities on both sides of the border, a minister has warned.

Under the current system, authorities in Hong Kong must file requests with individual departments in mainland China to check if city residents hold any assets across the border.

“We are studying issues on how to accelerate the process, expand communication channels and set up a regular check-up mechanism with Guangdong authorities,” Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Sunday.

Last October, the government launched a crackdown on cheats that turned up about 60 city tenant households who also owned private property.

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho says city has already asked Guangdong to check land records of public housing tenants if there is evidence they own properties in province. Photo: Jelly Tse

“We have engaged with Guangdong authorities to check land records of public housing tenants if it has been reported to us that there is evidence that they own properties in the mainland province,” Ho told a television programme on Tuesday.