https://www.scmp.com/rss/522129/feed The latest news and top stories on Hong Kong's Housing Department. A prominent Hong Kong-based governmental body, the Housing Department is the executive arm of the Hong Kong Housing Authority. It is dedicated to administering and enforcing housing policies, managing public housing estates and providing affordable housing for low-income families. Its main areas of focus include enhancing housing supply quality and fostering sustainable development. The department is recognised for its crucial... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vivian Au Vivian Au A fatal fire at a subdivided flat on Thursday has highlighted the need to eradicate substandard housing in Hong Kong, the housing minister has said, noting that affected residents had a living space of just five square metres (54 sq ft) on average. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin was referring to a blaze that killed one resident and injured four others, saying it underscored the importance of the new Basic Housing Units Ordinance. “In the flat [where the tragedy occurred], each resident... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354614/fatal-subdivided-flat-fire-highlights-need-tackle-substandard-homes-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354614/fatal-subdivided-flat-fire-highlights-need-tackle-substandard-homes-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 07:06:38 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Thirty-five families living in subdivided flats in Hong Kong have faced eviction in the 2½ months since the government introduced a new regime to eradicate substandard shoebox homes, according to housing authorities. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin also said on Wednesday that another 40 subdivided flat households from Yee Wa Building in Sham Shui Po, which faced eviction last year, were still living in the block and considering their options. The Basic Housing Units Ordinance took... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354244/35-families-hong-kong-shoebox-flats-face-eviction-start-new-rule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354244/35-families-hong-kong-shoebox-flats-face-eviction-start-new-rule?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 09:27:27 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong landlords have put forward just four of the city’s 110,000 subdivided homes for certification approval in the two-and-a-half months since a new law was enacted to phase out substandard living spaces, highlighting a low participation rate. Three of the applications were submitted by a single landlord, Hayson Chan Hin-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Housing Units Operators Association. Chan told the South China Morning Post that it took him about two months to renovate the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354143/only-4-hong-kongs-110000-subdivided-homes-put-seal-approval?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354143/only-4-hong-kongs-110000-subdivided-homes-put-seal-approval?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au The average waiting time for long and short-term general applicants for subsidised public rental housing in Hong Kong had fallen to 4.7 years as of March, authorities said, marking the first time it has dropped below five years under the current administration. Despite the decrease in the “composite figure”, which included light public flats, the average waiting time for a standard public rental home remained unchanged at 5.6 years, according to data released on Thursday. The Housing Bureau said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353593/long-and-short-term-subsidised-public-rental-housing-wait-falls-below-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353593/long-and-short-term-subsidised-public-rental-housing-wait-falls-below-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 12:17:25 +0000 Brian Wong,Lo Hoi-ying Brian Wong,Lo Hoi-ying The “mechanical mindset” of Hong Kong building authorities has come under scrutiny at a hearing into the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze, with a former inspection director conceding his team had “blindly” followed outdated guidelines when deciding not to conduct on-site audits of renovation work at the estate. Rudolf Lau Fu-kwok, who was the head of the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit when the fire broke out last November, on Friday told an independent committee tasked with investigating... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352936/tai-po-fire-building-authorities-slammed-inquiry-mechanical-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352936/tai-po-fire-building-authorities-slammed-inquiry-mechanical-mindset?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 11:47:57 +0000 Brian Wong,Jess Ma Brian Wong,Jess Ma Government inspectors did not foresee engineering firms colluding to deceive authorities over the use of substandard renovation materials at a Hong Kong residential estate devastated in the city’s deadliest fire in decades, a public inquiry has heard. Andy Ku Siu-ping, a senior maintenance surveyor with the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit, on Wednesday blamed “systemic defects” for the body’s failure to rectify the use of flammable polyfoam boards and scaffolding mesh during a HK$336... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352656/tai-po-fire-inspectors-failed-anticipate-firms-deception-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352656/tai-po-fire-inspectors-failed-anticipate-firms-deception-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 13:58:03 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested seven people linked to a syndicate that allegedly targeted large maintenance projects through undisclosed conflicts of interest and a contractor who served in a dual role as consultant. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Tuesday said it had arrested five men and two women, aged 37 to 75, last week, including the chairman of an incorporated owners committee, the owner of a project contractor and the directors of a project... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352469/hong-kong-corruption-watchdog-arrests-7-over-rigged-maintenance-project-tender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352469/hong-kong-corruption-watchdog-arrests-7-over-rigged-maintenance-project-tender?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 07:07:01 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po blaze has finished 21 sessions of evidential hearings over three rounds, identifying loopholes in the supervision of the estate’s renovation project and the government’s regulation of fire hazards. The inferno broke out on November 26 last year when all eight blocks at Wang Fuk Court were undergoing exterior maintenance work and were covered in scaffolding and mesh netting. The fire tore through seven blocks, killing 168 people... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352423/what-public-inquiry-deadly-tai-po-blaze-has-revealed-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352423/what-public-inquiry-deadly-tai-po-blaze-has-revealed-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. What began as a crisis in 2019 reshaped Hong Kong’s student housing market. Social unrest spurred an exodus of mainland students, adversely affecting demand and putting pressure on thinly capitalised, lightly managed operators. However, a technically skilled cohort, including... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351534/how-hong-kong-can-keep-its-student-housing-sector-open-smaller-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351534/how-hong-kong-can-keep-its-student-housing-sector-open-smaller-players?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s limited urban space and large population have steadily pushed the city’s buildings ever higher, but maintenance of far too many structures has not kept pace with decades of wear and tear. Meanwhile, the authorities are often overwhelmed trying to enforce laws that should keep building owners and managers focused on upkeep. So it was encouraging to see officials trying a new tactic to respond to one major issue – water seepage. A pilot scheme to fast track such cases and shift... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3351298/new-tactic-water-seepage-can-help-keep-hong-kong-buildings-safe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3351298/new-tactic-water-seepage-can-help-keep-hong-kong-buildings-safe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Government surveyors failed to detect major fire risks at a housing complex destroyed in Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades because they were following outdated guidelines that did not require in-person inspections of renovation works, a public inquiry has heard. The independent committee was told on Monday that illegal alterations to Wang Fuk Court’s emergency passages during the HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) overhaul of the estate’s exterior could have been discovered sooner had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351604/fire-risks-not-spotted-due-old-inspection-guidelines-tai-po-blaze-inquiry-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351604/fire-risks-not-spotted-due-old-inspection-guidelines-tai-po-blaze-inquiry-told?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:55:41 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A public inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has exposed confusion among government agencies over their roles in supervising large renovation projects, with a fire services officer insisting on Wednesday that his department was not responsible for handling complaints about flammable building materials because it lacked construction expertise. Hours after the hearing, the Fire Services Department announced it would launch a new mechanism this month for handling cases involving fire... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong housing authorities have spent HK$34 million (US$4.3 million) on recovery efforts following the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court, including removing damaged scaffolding, conducting structural assessments and strengthening works. The Housing Bureau said on Thursday evening that the expenditure was the main reason for the 22.1 per cent increase in the revised building control expense estimate for the 2025-26 financial year. “This is mainly due to the expenditure on follow-up works... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349625/hong-kong-authorities-spend-hk34-million-tai-po-fire-recovery-works?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349625/hong-kong-authorities-spend-hk34-million-tai-po-fire-recovery-works?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:41:04 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au The Hong Kong government has called in law enforcement to investigate allegations that signatures were forged and personal data used without authorisation in a petition submitted by residents displaced by the deadly blaze in Tai Po. The South China Morning Post earlier learned that property owners of Wang Fuk Court had organised a petition and emailed Hop On Management Company last month to raise concerns and request an owners’ meeting. In the petition, residents said the request to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349468/government-turns-down-situ-redevelopment-proposal-over-400-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349468/government-turns-down-situ-redevelopment-proposal-over-400-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:41:35 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s housing authorities will expand the use of smart technologies, such as door sensors, in-home fall detectors and stair climbers, to enhance safety and convenience for elderly residents at public estates as the city’s population ages. Michael Hong Wing-kit, deputy director of housing overseeing estate management, said a pilot scheme to install sensors, which track door activity and send alerts, in public flats with elderly occupants would be expanded to include Tung Wui Estate in Wong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349080/housing-authorities-expand-use-smart-technologies-support-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349080/housing-authorities-expand-use-smart-technologies-support-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested 10 people on suspicion of working as part of a crime syndicate that used triad connections to take control of a HK$160 million (US$20.4 million) renovation project, among other offences. The operation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption also led police to arrest 32 suspects in raids on multiple New Territories premises believed to be controlled by the syndicate’s triad elements. The watchdog said on Monday it had arrested the owner... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348355/icac-arrests-42-hk180-million-crackdown-triad-linked-renovation-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348355/icac-arrests-42-hk180-million-crackdown-triad-linked-renovation-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:28:09 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Only one landlord in Hong Kong has sought certification approval for subdivided flats since a new law on minimum housing standards took effect about two weeks ago, while applications for a grace period have been submitted for more than 1,100 homes, according to authorities. The Basic Housing Units Ordinance, which took effect on March 1, stipulates that only subdivided homes that meet minimum standards and are certified by building professionals can be legally leased. Non-compliant landlords... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346249/only-1-hong-kong-landlord-seeks-subdivided-flat-approval-new-law-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346249/only-1-hong-kong-landlord-seeks-subdivided-flat-approval-new-law-kicks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:22:34 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T), intellectual property and investment promotion departments will receive budget increases of at least 10 per cent in the coming financial year, even as the government moves to curb recurrent spending, while the environmental branch and public broadcaster face sharp cuts of 70 and 28 per cent, respectively. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will expand its civil service workforce by 16 per cent in 2026-27 – the largest increase among all departments –... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344722/which-hong-kong-government-departments-get-budget-boosts-while-others-face-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344722/which-hong-kong-government-departments-get-budget-boosts-while-others-face-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 01:00:15 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s average waiting time for a public rental flat rose to 5.6 years as of December, marking an increase for three consecutive quarters, as the Housing Bureau attributed the increase to high demand for flats in urban areas. According to figures announced on Thursday, the latest average waiting time for general applicants – family or elderly households – over the past 12 months was higher than the 5.5 years recorded in September and 5.4 years in June. The figure was 5.3 years, as of March... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343364/average-public-housing-wait-time-hong-kong-rises-56-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343364/average-public-housing-wait-time-hong-kong-rises-56-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:02:44 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Government social workers supporting survivors of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire are struggling to manage their “indefinite” duties, with poor communication about new initiatives compounding the stress of their already heavy caseloads. Several social workers, including a union leader, told the South China Morning Post that they needed clarity from authorities on their roles and duties to better manage public expectations and ensure relevant agencies, such as the Housing Bureau, could help... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343232/social-workers-struggle-stress-indefinite-duties-2-months-after-deadly-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343232/social-workers-struggle-stress-indefinite-duties-2-months-after-deadly-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong authorities have pledged to reserve nearly a fifth of the city’s 21,000 transitional homes for tenants displaced by a new law regulating subdivided flats, with the housing chief downplaying concerns about a potential wave of evictions under the policy. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin offered the assurance on Sunday after more than 100 households at Yee Wa Building on Un Chau Street in Cheung Sha Wan were forced to relocate, as landlords sought to convert the flats to meet the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342832/hong-kong-reserves-4000-homes-tenants-hit-subdivided-flats-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342832/hong-kong-reserves-4000-homes-tenants-hit-subdivided-flats-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:31:55 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong labour authorities are investigating an accident at a government site involving a construction worker who lost his footing and fell onto steel rebar, piercing his buttock. Police received a report at around 10.30am on Thursday that a worker at a Tung Chung construction site under the Housing Department had been injured after a misstep. “The victim was passing by the location of the accident and mistakenly stepped onto an empty space, causing him to fall onto steel rebar on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340846/construction-worker-falls-pierces-buttock-rebar-hong-kong-government-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340846/construction-worker-falls-pierces-buttock-rebar-hong-kong-government-site?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:25:22 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words I wish to express my strong support for the Fire Services Department’s swift launch of a two-month operation, following the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po (“Hong Kong authorities start 2-month inspection operation on building fire safety”, January 19). In focusing on older... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3340654/hong-kong-should-build-lasting-foundation-stronger-fire-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3340654/hong-kong-should-build-lasting-foundation-stronger-fire-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Some elderly residents facing eviction from a block of subdivided flats in Hong Kong have expressed concerns that they could lose their jobs if forced to relocate to enable their landlords to upgrade the homes to comply with new regulations. Residents of Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building were previously told they would need to leave sometime between March and December. The renovations were prompted by a clampdown on substandard housing that is set to take effect in March. Landlords who immediately... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340603/elderly-hongkongers-facing-eviction-over-subdivided-flat-revamp-fear-upended-lives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340603/elderly-hongkongers-facing-eviction-over-subdivided-flat-revamp-fear-upended-lives?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:19:14 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities have launched a two-month operation to inspect fire safety equipment in residential and mixed-use buildings planned at least 39 years ago, as part of continuing efforts to strengthen oversight following the deadly Tai Po blaze. The Fire Services Department said on Monday that it started ad hoc checks on inspection records and the condition of fire safety equipment in premises for which building plans were first submitted in 1987 or earlier. “When choosing buildings to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340454/hong-kong-authorities-start-2-month-inspection-operation-building-fire-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340454/hong-kong-authorities-start-2-month-inspection-operation-building-fire-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:58:22 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong authorities have identified 1,600 at-risk elderly households in public housing, but analysts have said the figure fails to reflect the scale of this group of vulnerable residents and urged the government to speed up search efforts. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that authorities had identified high-risk cases by reviewing Housing Department data from more than 800,000 households in public housing. “These 1,600 households could become the hidden,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340274/hong-kong-flags-1600-risk-elderly-households-experts-say-figure-tip-iceberg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340274/hong-kong-flags-1600-risk-elderly-households-experts-say-figure-tip-iceberg?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:59:31 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Three homeowners at Hong Kong’s luxury Redhill Peninsula housing estate have received fines totalling HK$275,000 (US$35,270) for carrying out illegal building works on their properties. The Buildings Department said on Monday that the fines were handed down by Eastern Court last week after the owners of three detached houses pleaded guilty to undertaking unauthorised work. They were found to have knowingly undertaken building works without prior approval or consent from the department, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3339597/3-homeowners-hong-kongs-redhill-peninsula-fined-illegal-building-works?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3339597/3-homeowners-hong-kongs-redhill-peninsula-fined-illegal-building-works?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:19:37 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong will tighten declaration-of-interest rules after discovering that a surveyor arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over a deadly fire had failed to disclose his role at the estate ravaged by the blaze to the Housing Department, for which he worked as a service provider, the Post has learned. The Housing Department’s move to strengthen supervision followed the arrest of 68-year-old Steve Wong Chung-kee in connection with the fatal blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339516/hong-kong-surveyors-undeclared-role-prompts-rule-review-after-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339516/hong-kong-surveyors-undeclared-role-prompts-rule-review-after-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:30:26 +0000 Jess Ma,William Yiu Jess Ma,William Yiu Owners of a private housing estate in Tuen Mun have voted overwhelmingly to terminate their renovation contract with Prestige Construction and Engineering Company, the same contractor responsible for works at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, in the aftermath of the deadly blaze. At a general meeting held on Friday night at Elegance Gardens, 96.45 per cent of 1,655 effective undivided shares held by flat owners voted to terminate the contract. Several owners who spoke to the Post said they no longer... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339421/hong-kong-housing-estate-flat-owners-drop-contractor-linked-deadly-tai-po-blaze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339421/hong-kong-housing-estate-flat-owners-drop-contractor-linked-deadly-tai-po-blaze?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 03:10:25 +0000 Mike Rowse Mike Rowse There are matters we need to sort out quickly arising from the Tai Po fire tragedy but also systemic issues that need to be tackled if we are to avoid a repeat of the disaster. The fact is that Hong Kong faces two sorts of ageing problems: old buildings and the old people who live in them. Sometimes they overlap. Hong Kong is inevitably a high-rise city, because so many people are crammed into a relatively limited land area. If you can’t build out, you build up. Since we have been developing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337832/hong-kong-must-tackle-long-term-problem-building-maintenance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3337832/hong-kong-must-tackle-long-term-problem-building-maintenance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A Hong Kong welfare group has dropped a controversial policy barring displaced Tai Po fire residents in its temporary accommodation from taking in-room appliances and furniture when they move out. SideBySide made the U-turn hours after an outcry from affected residents, who argued that the ban was unreasonable because the items had been donated to them by the community. The ban was applied to the government transitional housing project in Tai Po, Good House, managed by SideBySide. One of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337240/hong-kong-welfare-group-scraps-ban-tai-po-survivors-keeping-donated-appliances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337240/hong-kong-welfare-group-scraps-ban-tai-po-survivors-keeping-donated-appliances?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 13:07:07 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong police have expanded their investigation into allegedly fake scaffolding net safety certificates to four more estates, following the earlier discovery of such documents at two housing sites that prompted a citywide removal of mesh netting. The force said on Monday evening that it had received reports of the allegedly fraudulent certificates at the six estates and that a probe was under way. Apart from Fung Wah Estate in Chai Wan and Fortress Garden in Fortress Hill, which were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3335682/probe-suspected-fake-scaffolding-net-certificates-widened-6-hong-kong-estates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3335682/probe-suspected-fake-scaffolding-net-certificates-widened-6-hong-kong-estates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 03:25:20 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Edith Lin Lo Hoi-ying,Edith Lin Steel bars have been brought in to reinforce the structure of one of the fire-ravaged blocks in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, while investigations into the catastrophic Tai Po blaze are expected to continue for two to three weeks. A crane lifted bundles of steel bars to flats in the 31-storey Wang Cheong House – the first building to ignite in the conflagration – on Monday afternoon. Workers then hauled the bars into flats through their windows. The fire that broke out on November 26 and engulfed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335631/steel-bars-brought-strengthen-building-ravaged-hong-kongs-tai-po-blaze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335631/steel-bars-brought-strengthen-building-ravaged-hong-kongs-tai-po-blaze?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:49:31 +0000 Edith Lin,Susan Su Edith Lin,Susan Su Hundreds of property owners in Hong Kong are grappling with uncertainties after 28 private buildings and estates were ordered to suspend renovation work carried out by a contractor linked to the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court and two other firms. Residents at three of the estates told the Post they had already spent millions of Hong Kong dollars on the projects and were now uncertain whether the work was proper or how long the delay would last, with some struggling to choose a new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335249/residents-hong-kong-estates-where-renovation-work-suspended-wonder-what-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335249/residents-hong-kong-estates-where-renovation-work-suspended-wonder-what-next?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:30:19 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Shortcomings in Hong Kong’s building regulations could complicate efforts to prove manslaughter in the Tai Po housing estate blaze that killed 159 people, according to legal and construction experts. Police have arrested 21 people so far, including 15 for alleged manslaughter, after authorities found flammable foam panels and nets that were not flame-retardant on the scaffolding that covered the eight blocks of Wang Fuk Court, which had been under renovation since July last year. The blaze at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335098/manslaughter-hard-prove-hong-kong-fire-amid-regulatory-gaps-warn-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335098/manslaughter-hard-prove-hong-kong-fire-amid-regulatory-gaps-warn-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:30:15 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s Housing Department has dispelled rumours that survivors of the deadly Tai Po blaze are staying in interim housing with unfinished floors, after a social media user claimed residents were moving into flats in poor condition. A department spokesman said on Wednesday that no residents from the Wang Fuk Court fire were staying in interim housing at the moment. Interim housing refers to accommodation mainly for people affected by natural disasters or government clearance... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335033/authorities-dispel-rumours-hong-kong-fire-survivors-housed-unfinished-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335033/authorities-dispel-rumours-hong-kong-fire-survivors-housed-unfinished-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 07:44:04 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The city is in grief following one of the worst construction disasters in its modern history. When the genuine sorrow and heartbreak have settled, we need to examine precisely what went wrong and why. The Hong Kong Construction Industry Council has a supposed stance that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3334847/safety-lapses-hong-kongs-construction-industry-must-be-fixed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3334847/safety-lapses-hong-kongs-construction-industry-must-be-fixed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 03:30:11 +0000 Edith Lin,Leopold Chen Edith Lin,Leopold Chen Systemic failings around supervision of building maintenance in Hong Kong, and a lack of coordination between departments charged with ensuring it is done properly, both needed to be addressed to prevent tragedies such as the Tai Po fire happening again, experts and sector representatives have said. The regulation of polystyrene foam boards was particularly important, they added, with the preliminary investigation into the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court finding that the fire started on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334582/hong-kong-construction-clampdown-needed-after-fire-industry-must-act-too-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334582/hong-kong-construction-clampdown-needed-after-fire-industry-must-act-too-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters The death toll in Hong Kong’s worst fire in seven decades climbed to 83 on Thursday as many remained missing and a grief-stricken city rallied as one with authorities, private companies, charities and ordinary folks donating hundreds of millions to the victims and their families. The towering inferno that tore through seven blocks at a Tai Po housing estate under renovation was gradually brought under control after raging for more than 24 hours. But firefighters were still battling untamed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334428/death-toll-hong-kong-fire-rises-83-grief-stricken-city-rallies-help-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334428/death-toll-hong-kong-fire-rises-83-grief-stricken-city-rallies-help-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:57:48 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s average waiting time for public rental housing rose to 5.5 years as of September, despite more flats being allocated, with authorities attributing the marginal rise to longer waits for homes in urban districts. The Housing Bureau said on Wednesday that the latest waiting time for general applicants – family or elderly households – in the past 12 months was slightly higher than the 5.4 years recorded at the end of June. Between July and September, 5,600 general applicants were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334262/average-waiting-time-public-rental-flat-hong-kong-rises-55-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334262/average-waiting-time-public-rental-flat-hong-kong-rises-55-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:00:52 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on November 21, 1985 By James Sun Families to be evacuated The Housing Authority is expected to announce today (November 21, 1985) an intensive redevelopment programme for 26 substandard estate blocks from which more than 17,000 families will be evacuated in the next four years. The super programme, costing taxpayers up to $800 million will start next month if given the go-ahead by the Executive Council. The Housing Authority is to meet this morning to discuss... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333479/hong-kong-plans-demolition-26-housing-estates-1985-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333479/hong-kong-plans-demolition-26-housing-estates-1985-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 02:30:10 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong A Hong Kong construction worker was killed on Wednesday morning after a wall collapsed during demolition work at a village house in Yuen Long, as labour authorities stepped in to investigate the city’s third fatal industrial incident in four days. Police said they received a call at 10.58am that the perimeter wall of a house on Shan Pui Road had collapsed. The wall, measuring about two metres (6.5 ft) high, eight metres long and one metre wide, had fallen during demolition work and crushed the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331626/hong-kong-worker-killed-wall-collapses-during-demolition-work-yuen-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331626/hong-kong-worker-killed-wall-collapses-during-demolition-work-yuen-long?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:51:13 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A homeowner at Hong Kong’s Redhill Peninsula and parties involved in illegal building works have been fined more than HK$400,000 (US$51,000) in total. The Buildings Department said on Monday that the fines were handed down by Eastern Court, the latest case at the luxury residential estate where rampant unauthorised structures were uncovered two years ago. After pleading guilty on Thursday, the owner of the detached house was fined HK$110,000. The works contractor and its authorised signatory... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331383/another-homeowner-hong-kongs-redhill-peninsula-fined-illegal-structures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3331383/another-homeowner-hong-kongs-redhill-peninsula-fined-illegal-structures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:01:06 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Small businesses around the Chinachem Tower in Hong Kong’s Central were dealt a blow after the building was engulfed in flames, with some stores remaining shut on Sunday morning as the investigation into the cause of the fire entered its second day. Some shop operators described the fire as a rarity in the central business district and a source of concern. Saturday’s blaze took more than four hours to put out and enveloped the entire building, which was undergoing renovations. A government... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3329563/businesses-hong-kongs-central-count-costs-after-chinachem-tower-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3329563/businesses-hong-kongs-central-count-costs-after-chinachem-tower-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 08:18:49 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong police will expand their surveillance camera coverage to public housing estates, cross-harbour tunnels and venues hosting the National Games including Kai Tak Sports Park by the end of the year after footage helped officers arrest more than 840 suspects. The police force said on Sunday that it was exploring a wider range of installation platforms and continuing to gradually integrate closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera feeds from other government departments and public... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3329562/hong-kong-police-expand-cctv-coverage-and-link-more-departments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3329562/hong-kong-police-expand-cctv-coverage-and-link-more-departments?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 07:59:58 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The rush by the Hong Kong government to construct 30,000 interim flats for low-income families has always been a high-stakes affair. While these no-frills units can ease the crunch in the short term, there are concerns over their relatively high cost and basic quality. As the prefabricated units of the light public housing scheme are being put together like Lego building blocks, an array of defects has been unearthed recently. A full investigation is under way. The revelation has not only... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328193/root-out-irregularities-restore-trust-hong-kongs-construction-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328193/root-out-irregularities-restore-trust-hong-kongs-construction-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin The use of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) flats to address challenges faced by Hong Kong’s construction industry has come under the spotlight after installation issues were flagged at three light public housing sites. Concerns were raised earlier this week after some MiC flats at the sites were previously found to have been improperly installed. Authorities stressed that the incident was related to on-site work procedures rather than the construction method itself. The Post unpacks how... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328138/unsure-about-hong-kongs-modular-flats-post-unpacks-big-questions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328138/unsure-about-hong-kongs-modular-flats-post-unpacks-big-questions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:50:53 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong authorities have set up an independent team to investigate irregularities with materials used in the installation of prefabricated units at three light public housing sites, warning that they will hold the contractor and other relevant parties accountable. The Architectural Services Department warned on Monday it would take regulatory action against the contractor and related parties responsible for flawed modular integrated construction (MiC) units found in Siu Lam, Tuen Mun and Chai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328006/hong-kong-investigates-installation-issues-3-light-public-housing-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328006/hong-kong-investigates-installation-issues-3-light-public-housing-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 08:50:43 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Technology capable of detecting when a flat or refrigerator door opens could help Hong Kong authorities remotely check on whether all is well with elderly residents living alone, a minister has said. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han also said on Saturday that the government was testing using wearable devices as part of early detection measures for high-risk cases. He raised the idea just days after another elderly resident was discovered dead in their home, the latest in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327103/can-fridge-door-sensors-help-hong-kong-authorities-check-elderly-living-alone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327103/can-fridge-door-sensors-help-hong-kong-authorities-check-elderly-living-alone?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 11:17:28 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au As Super Typhoon Ragasa battered Hong Kong with hurricane-strength winds on Wednesday morning, some worried residents felt their high-rise buildings sway, but experts and authorities have assured the public that such movements are normal. Ragasa, which triggered the highest-level No 10 warning signal, came within about 100km south of Hong Kong in the morning before the storm was downgraded to a severe typhoon in the afternoon. “Most of the buildings in Hong Kong have been built with wind... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326710/hong-kong-buildings-swaying-super-typhoon-ragasa-nothing-worry-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326710/hong-kong-buildings-swaying-super-typhoon-ragasa-nothing-worry-about?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:43:29 +0000