https://www.scmp.com/rss/523269/feed The latest news and top stories on Society for Community Organisation (SoCO). A Hong Kong-based non-profit organisation, SoCO was founded in 1971 to champion human rights and social justice. It is dedicated to empowering underprivileged communities, advocating for equal opportunities and a fairer society. SoCO’s main activities include community organisation, civic education, providing direct social services and improving housing conditions for marginalised groups. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has promised to allow more children from low-income families to enjoy after-school care on campus by further expanding a government scheme following positive feedback from participants. Social workers and educators welcomed the initiative on Saturday, proposing the government widen the scheme’s coverage to include more pupils and encourage more schools to join through subsidies. The scheme, launched as part of the government’s targeted measures to tackle... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349042/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-expand-after-school-care-low-income-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3349042/hong-kongs-john-lee-pledges-expand-after-school-care-low-income-families?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:06:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Elderly Hongkongers and people with chronic illnesses should protect themselves from health problems arising from high humidity by using dehumidifiers and removing mould, a doctor and a community advocate have said, as damp conditions are expected to persist until the end of the week. They said the public should be better informed about the health risks posed by the damp weather, cautioning that high moisture encouraged mould that could cause breathing difficulties in asthmatics, while humid and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347907/warning-over-mould-and-infections-hong-kong-set-more-damp-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347907/warning-over-mould-and-infections-hong-kong-set-more-damp-days?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:30:07 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hongkonger Chan Sai-chiu considers the 60 sq ft subdivided flat he rents to be home, going out of his way to make the cramped space in Sham Shui Po’s ageing Yee Wa Building more liveable by repainting the walls and setting up his own kitchen. The 72-year-old considers the flat’s HK$3,000 (US$383) rent to be a perfect fit for his tight budget, as he lives off about HK$5,000 from social security payments and receives a rental subsidy of HK$2,500. The building also suits the retiree, who is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344967/are-new-hong-kong-subdivided-flat-standards-triggering-wave-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344967/are-new-hong-kong-subdivided-flat-standards-triggering-wave-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s improving fiscal position has prompted a groundswell of calls for the government to offer more “sweeteners” in the coming budget, including a cross-party demand for more tax relief for the middle class, but economists have cautioned against such across-the-board measures. They were more supportive of targeted spending, a cause taken up in recent weeks by concern groups asking for more specific forms of help for grass-roots residents, especially the unemployed. The growing debate was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344177/hong-kong-budget-2026-27-sweeteners-grass-roots-or-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344177/hong-kong-budget-2026-27-sweeteners-grass-roots-or-middle-class?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong authorities have proposed requiring the Medical Council to set a time frame for handling complaints, following a public backlash over a 15-year delay to an inquiry into an alleged medical blunder that left a child permanently disabled. The Health Bureau on Friday also proposed reforming the composition of the watchdog, bringing in doctors with more diverse backgrounds and qualifications, and increasing the proportion of lay members, who only accounted for eight of the 32-strong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342725/medical-council-set-time-frame-sorting-complaints-under-proposed-shake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342725/medical-council-set-time-frame-sorting-complaints-under-proposed-shake?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:46:46 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong authorities should step up support for elderly residents at risk of suicide across all social classes, analysts have said, after a 73-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of murdering her husband in a hotel before taking sleeping pills and losing consciousness. They added that officials should broaden efforts to educate frontline workers on identifying socially isolated elderly people – those who lack connections to social services or resources – and refer them to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341056/hong-kong-urged-boost-support-risk-elders-across-all-social-classes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3341056/hong-kong-urged-boost-support-risk-elders-across-all-social-classes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:59:23 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok As a cold spell grips Hong Kong, scores of homeless residents are choosing to endure the chill rather than take refuge in government shelters, where they say it feels “like being imprisoned”. When the Post visited the 5.5-hectare Tung Chau Street Park in Sham Shui Po – one of the most popular spots for street sleepers – on Tuesday night, around 70 people were found staying there in about six clusters. Most were sheltered in tents or on foldable beds, some tucked behind flower beds, pillars or... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340736/cold-spell-grips-hong-kong-homeless-shun-shelters-feel-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340736/cold-spell-grips-hong-kong-homeless-shun-shelters-feel-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong mother Amy Chan* often feels overwhelmed caring for her nine-year-old son, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The 39-year-old said her son, diagnosed with the condition two years ago, seldom listened to her and lost his temper easily, putting tremendous pressure on her and taking a toll on her mental health. Chan, who works as a part-time clerk, said her frustration with her son’s uncooperative behaviour and her own stress sometimes became so intense that she was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340598/hong-kong-parents-special-needs-children-fear-abuse-claims-under-new-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3340598/hong-kong-parents-special-needs-children-fear-abuse-claims-under-new-law?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:30:49 +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 Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s public hospitals will raise a range of charges from January 1, while anxious lower-income patients who face higher bills but do not qualify under new fee waiver thresholds are calling for more government help. From Thursday, patients will need to pay more in general, but the safety net will also be widened to support the neediest, with an annual HK$10,000 cap on medical fees introduced and the current fee waiver scheme expanded to cover an extra 1.1 million people. However, some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338208/low-income-patients-call-more-help-steeper-hong-kong-hospital-fees-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338208/low-income-patients-call-more-help-steeper-hong-kong-hospital-fees-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:30:14 +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 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing With Hong Kong leader John Lee set to deliver his annual policy address on September 17, the Post examines key topics the chief executive is expected to focus on, including a mega infrastructure project near the border, new economic drivers and livelihood issues. In the third of a seven-part series, Lam Ka-sing looks at how the wider business community outside the financial sector can be supported amid economic transition. Jacky Ko Chung-kit, who owns two media companies in Hong Kong, has not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3324799/hong-kongs-economy-growing-why-are-some-sectors-still-hurting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3324799/hong-kongs-economy-growing-why-are-some-sectors-still-hurting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:30:07 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s Housing Department has pledged to review its work procedures on public flat tenants with special needs after a mother and son, both reportedly suffering from mental illnesses and facing eviction, committed suicide. Social workers and housing advisers said on Monday that authorities could improve administrative procedures to be more accommodating in such cases, and consider and streamline rehousing arrangements for them. “It is reasonable to take back flats and combat the abuse of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324785/hong-kong-review-public-housing-workflow-after-mother-son-suicide-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324785/hong-kong-review-public-housing-workflow-after-mother-son-suicide-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:21:18 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The city has been shocked, not for the first time, by the discovery of the remains of an elderly resident who lived and died alone in a public housing flat. It is also likely to be far from the last time. An inadequate social safety network for a growing population of elderly who live alone or with an elderly spouse, without appropriate support, could make that inevitable unless action is taken to counter isolation. There are several initiatives and pilot schemes that address the problem... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322874/hong-kong-must-ensure-its-elderly-age-dignity-and-care?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322874/hong-kong-must-ensure-its-elderly-age-dignity-and-care?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Hong Kong children who feel they lack study and play areas at home have poorer mental health and academic results, a poll has found. Survey results published on Monday also showed that about 40 per cent of children living in subdivided flats said they did not have enough of the spaces at home, a rate that was higher than those in other types of housing. Hong Kong Metropolitan University and the Society for Community Organisation (SoCO) jointly conducted the poll. “We hope to look into what... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317259/hong-kong-children-cramped-flats-have-poorer-mental-health-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317259/hong-kong-children-cramped-flats-have-poorer-mental-health-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:09:44 +0000