Last residents of ageing Hong Kong estate cling to memories, resist deadline to make way for redevelopment

Most of the 1,600 rental units at Tai Hang Sai Estate are empty, and about half the tenants want to return when new flats are built

Unhappy residents stalled plan to redevelop city’s only privately owned rental estate for over decade

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A banner hangs in protest against the relocation of residents from the Tai Hang Sai Estate. Two of the site’s eight blocks were built as early as 1964. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 12:00pm, 17 Mar 2024

For years, rusting window frames, peeling paint and dirty exteriors have made Tai Hang Sai Estate look run-down compared with other better-maintained housing blocks in Hong Kong’s Shek Kip Mei area.

The estate with 1,600 rental flats is the oldest in the New Kowloon neighbourhood, with two of its eight blocks built as early as 1964.

Now many of the flats are empty, the occupants having moved out ahead of a planned redevelopment.

But banners hung around the estate, with messages such as “Miserable”, “Ignoring opposition” and “Need Proper Relocation”, reveal that some long-time residents have refused to budge.

Unlike other public rental housing, this is the only privately owned estate in the city. It was built by the Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation, which is associated with property giant Henderson Land Development.

Residents engaged in a battle with the non-profit corporation for a decade, since it broached the idea of redeveloping the estate.

The years of wrangling led eventually to a deadline for everyone to move out by last Friday. While most have gone, several households have stayed put.

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