Hong Kong lawmakers question HK$4.39 billion bill for running 30,000 temporary public housing flats

Administration plans to provide 30,000 temporary homes by 2027-28 for families waiting at least three years for public housing

Government estimates operating costs for each flat are around HK$1,000 per month

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Light public housing flats are prefabricated and can reused for other purposes, the government says. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:41pm, 18 Apr 2024Updated: 11:58am, 19 Apr 2024

Hong Kong lawmakers have raised concerns about operating costs for temporary public housing, while also calling on the government to reuse or resell such flats in future.

Lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun on Thursday questioned whether HK$4.39 billion (US$561 million) was too much to spend running 30,000 temporary homes, known as “light public housing”, which aim to provide shelter for families in need.

Authorities earlier revealed the cost in response to legislators’ questions.

The government estimated operating costs for each flat were around HK$1,000 per month, the equivalent of HK$3.70 to maintain one square foot.

The amount is similar to management and maintenance costs for permanent public rental flats, which were HK$581 and HK$448 respectively in the 2022-23 financial year, according to official data.

“In the end, these are new flats,” Cheng told a Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting. “Is there a need to pay that much in management fees?”