https://www.scmp.com/rss/515372/feed Jason Leung is head of land and housing research at Our Hong Kong Foundation. He holds a master of science in real estate from the University of Hong Kong and a bachelor of business administration in global business and management from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok There was a time when landing in Hong Kong felt like arriving in the future. In 1998, the sleek Airport Express glided out of Chek Lap Kok, whisking passengers directly to the heart of the city. It was a symbol of modernity and efficiency, placing Hong Kong among a handful of global cities with a dedicated airport rail link. We were pioneers and justifiably proud. That pride now risks becoming a relic. While the Airport Express was once a point of differentiation, it is now becoming a point of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Calvin Au Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Calvin Au Hong Kong’s latest ballot for the sale of second-hand subsidised housing was oversubscribed by just five times – the lowest demand since the programme known as the White Form Secondary Market Scheme, started about a decade ago. This seeming decline in popularity, alongside the increased affordability of private housing, has led some to claim that subsidised housing is no longer needed. There has indeed been a growing overlap between Hong Kong’s subsidised and private housing markets. In 2021,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3310333/cheaper-private-flats-hong-kong-dont-erase-need-subsidised-housing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3310333/cheaper-private-flats-hong-kong-dont-erase-need-subsidised-housing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 21:30:07 +0000 To truly revive tourism in Hong Kong, we must look beyond our stunning skyline and one-off events. It’s imperative that we shift our focus towards crafting authentic “Hong Kong” experiences which encapsulate the essence of our city. The recently released blueprint for Hong Kong’s tourism industry sets the stage for the government’s commitment to building a brand of diverse cultural offerings, including traditional heritage, pop culture, performing arts and more. This is a vital step in the right... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3294414/tap-hong-kong-cinema-and-horse-racing-drive-cultural-wave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3294414/tap-hong-kong-cinema-and-horse-racing-drive-cultural-wave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Endowed with abundant natural scenery, such as pristine beaches and majestic mountains, South Lantau is earmarked by the government to be developed for ecotourism and sustainable recreation. The two-month public consultation for the South Lantau Eco-recreation Corridor ended in late July. Opinion is divided between different stakeholders, including Legislative Council members, conservationists and other concerned local groups. On the surface, this presents an impossible task for the government.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3274308/hong-kong-should-approach-south-lantau-project-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3274308/hong-kong-should-approach-south-lantau-project-purpose?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Since Hong Kong scrapped its property cooling measures in February, two contrasting situations have emerged in the housing market. Private market transactions have surged, with new projects oversubscribed, while the subsidised housing market has seen sluggish sales, with transactions cancelled and deposits forfeited. Some put this down to the improved affordability of private homes after the price index fell in March by 23 per cent from the record high in September 2021, causing more buyers to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3264607/why-subsidised-home-sales-are-sluggish-despite-overwhelming-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3264607/why-subsidised-home-sales-are-sluggish-despite-overwhelming-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 May 2024 21:30:10 +0000 The FIA World Rallycross Championship last November reminded us that tight event schedules are an organiser’s nightmare. Given the impossible mission to build the street circuit within two weeks, when it usually took longer in other cities, the organiser faced construction delays that meant the planned 1.225km track could not be completed in time and had to be shortened. Before that, with less than a month to organise the Wan Chai “waterfront carnival” of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253014/hong-kong-can-deliver-mega-events-government-must-step?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3253014/hong-kong-can-deliver-mega-events-government-must-step?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Feb 2024 01:30:10 +0000 In the run-up to his budget speech this month, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po forecast a deficit of more than HK$110 billion for the 2023-24 financial year. Nevertheless, he reiterated the government’s commitment to land creation despite the recent fluctuations in the property market. Market sentiment, however, remains sluggish. Under a land exchange offer, the government was in talks with the owners of six private sites in the Kwu Tung North and Fanling North new development areas, but no... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3251807/hong-kong-land-and-housing-supply-must-flow-even-economic-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3251807/hong-kong-land-and-housing-supply-must-flow-even-economic-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 01:30:20 +0000 Housing remained the top priority in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s second policy address, delivered last month; he elaborated on his housing policies at great length. Besides building on the initiatives introduced last year, there were also new measures responding to the latest market developments. While it was encouraging to see signs of the housing supply shortfall reversing, this is merely the first step in solving the long-standing issues of limited living space and unaffordable... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240705/solve-hong-kongs-housing-predicament-separate-market-permanent-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3240705/solve-hong-kongs-housing-predicament-separate-market-permanent-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s economy has undergone significant structural changes since the early 1980s, becoming one of the world’s most service-oriented economies. While the service sector accounted for more than 93 per cent of gross domestic product in 2020, the share of manufacturing stood at a mere 1 per cent, a far cry from the 23 per cent recorded in 1980. The significant decline in manufacturing and heavy reliance on the service sector has led to an imbalance in Hong Kong’s industrial structure and a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233331/hong-kong-needs-new-economic-thinking-match-san-tin-technopoles-promise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233331/hong-kong-needs-new-economic-thinking-match-san-tin-technopoles-promise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:15:09 +0000 As “Asia’s World City”, Hong Kong is renowned for its high efficiency, which stems in part from its high-density development. But this also comes with shortcomings – epitomised by the city’s shoebox housing units and a residential property market that is the least affordable in the world. According to the 2021 population census, Hong Kong’s per capita living space is just 172 sq ft, much smaller than Tokyo’s 210 sq ft and Singapore’s 270 sq ft. The difference is glaring when we compare it with... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220209/heydey-nano-flats-hong-kong-may-be-ending-more-housing-progress-needed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220209/heydey-nano-flats-hong-kong-may-be-ending-more-housing-progress-needed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 May 2023 00:30:17 +0000 The recent launch of Hong Kong’s first hotel-to-youth-hostel conversion project has returned attention to the hot topic of young people’s housing needs. Today, fewer young people are able to own a home due to skyrocketing housing prices and stagnating income mobility. With their hopes of home ownership fading as upward mobility deteriorates, many feel frustrated and defeated. The sense of powerlessness has led to a “let it be” lifestyle, with many taking to “lying flat” and rejecting the rat... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216108/reform-subsidised-housing-market-give-young-people-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216108/reform-subsidised-housing-market-give-young-people-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:15:17 +0000