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Housing Department

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 role in addressing Hong Kong’s housing needs and improving residents’ quality of life, having received numerous awards for its projects and services.

An elderly tenant in his subdivided flat at Yee Wa Building in Cheung Sha Wan. Housing authorities say 40 households that faced evictions last year are still living there. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong housing

35 families in Hong Kong shoebox flats face eviction since start of new rule

Occupants of another 40 subdivided flats who faced eviction last year are still living in Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building, housing chief reveals.

20 May 2026 - 9:45PM

Hong Kong housing

Only 4 of Hong Kong’s 110,000 subdivided homes put up for seal of approval

20 May 2026 - 7:00AM

Hong Kong housing

Long and short-term subsidised public rental housing wait falls below 5 years

14 May 2026 - 9:06PM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Tai Po fire: building authorities slammed at inquiry for ‘mechanical mindset’

Former head of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit acknowledges that old supervision mechanism had created ‘blind spot’.

8 May 2026 - 10:59PM

The fire at Wang Fuk Court killed 168 people and left nearly 5,000 others displaced. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Tai Po fire: inspectors failed to anticipate firms’ deception, inquiry hears

Senior surveyor becomes first member of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit to testify at hearing into city’s deadliest fire in decades.

6 May 2026 - 10:37PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong corruption watchdog arrests 7 over rigged maintenance project tender

Syndicate suspected of targeting large maintenance project involving undisclosed conflicts of interest and contractor who doubled as consultant.

5 May 2026 - 4:25PM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

What the public inquiry into deadly Tai Po blaze has revealed so far

Ahead of fourth round of hearings that begin on Wednesday, we unpack what has emerged about disaster during independent committee’s 21 sessions.

5 May 2026 - 2:04PM

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong economy

Letters | How Hong Kong can keep its student housing sector open to smaller players

Readers discuss developments in student accomodation, and the Tai Po fire.

28 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

Hong Kong society

Editorial | New tactic on water seepage can help keep Hong Kong buildings safe

Shifting responsibility for inspection costs to flat owners is a promising option and one worthy of support.

28 Apr 2026 - 6:45AM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Fire risks not spotted due to old inspection guidelines, Tai Po blaze inquiry told

Government surveyors were following outdated guidelines that didn’t require them to examine renovation works in person at Wang Fuk Court, committee hears.

28 Apr 2026 - 12:27AMvideocam

A block at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The residential complex was undergoing renovation when the fire broke out last November. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

‘Regulatory vacuum’: Hong Kong fire probe reveals confusion over safety roles

Testimony by fire services officials shows departments split over handling complaints on Wang Fuk Court renovations.

22 Apr 2026 - 11:52PM

Members of the media wait outside City Gallery in Central. Photo: Sun Yeung

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong authorities spend HK$34 million on Tai Po fire recovery works

Expenditure mainly covers removal of dangerous scaffolding and nets, and support to police and other departments in clearing debris.

10 Apr 2026 - 6:31PM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Alleged petition forgery investigated as Wang Fuk Court rebuild plan rejected

Property owners had organised petition and emailed Hop On Management Company to raise concerns and request owners’ meeting.

9 Apr 2026 - 10:42PM

Hong Kong society

Housing authorities expand use of smart technologies to support elderly

Government installing door sensors, in-home fall detectors and stair climbers at more public housing estates.

6 Apr 2026 - 11:00AM

The number of people aged 65 and above in Hong Kong is expected to nearly double from 1.45 million in 2021 to 2.74 million in 2046. Photo: Karma Lo

Crime in Hong Kong

ICAC arrests 10 over using triad links to win HK$160 million renovation project

Operation by ICAC also led police to arrest 32 individuals in raids on premises believed to be controlled by bid-rigging syndicate’s triad elements.

30 Mar 2026 - 5:20PM

A worker removes scaffolding mesh on a building in Mong Kok. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong housing

Only 1 Hong Kong landlord seeks subdivided flat approval as new law takes effect

Housing Bureau receives 316 registration applications involving 1,160 subdivided flats for grace period, but only one to approve certification.

12 Mar 2026 - 11:45AMvideocam

Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?

New funding channelled into innovation, AI and intellectual property despite overall spending cuts and a drive to trim the civil service.

27 Feb 2026 - 9:00AM

Hong Kong housing

Average public housing wait time in Hong Kong rises to 5.6 years

Housing Bureau attributes third consecutive quarterly increase to high demand for flats in urban areas.

12 Feb 2026 - 10:22PM

Hong Kong’s average waiting time for a public rental flat rose to 5.6 years as of December, marking a third consecutive quarterly increase. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Social workers in Tai Po fire relief warn of burnout after colleague dies

Lack of communication by government on aid plans often adds stress to heavy workload, they say.

12 Feb 2026 - 9:42AM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong reserves 4,000 homes for tenants hit by subdivided flats overhaul

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho says demand from 30,000 affected households will be ‘digested’ over extended period.

8 Feb 2026 - 8:23PM

Accidents and personal safety

Construction worker falls, pierces buttock on rebar at Hong Kong government site

Labour authorities investigating after police receive report on Thursday morning of accident at Tung Chung site under Housing Department.

23 Jan 2026 - 12:18AM

The construction site in Tung Chung under the Housing Department, where a worker was injured after falling onto steel rebar on Thursday. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong fires and safety

Letters | Hong Kong should build a lasting foundation for stronger fire safety

Readers discuss ways to enhance an inspection operation, the survival of cinemas, and the plight of subdivided-flat tenants.

22 Jan 2026 - 11:30AM

A fire service installation around a building in Sai Ying Pun on December 3. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong housing

Elderly Hongkongers facing eviction over subdivided flat revamp fear losing jobs

Residents of Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building previously told they needed to leave sometime between March and December.

21 Jan 2026 - 5:02AM

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong authorities start 2-month inspection operation on building fire safety

Fire Services Department begins checks on residential and mixed-use buildings planned at least 39 years ago to ensure safety equipment in place.

19 Jan 2026 - 11:31PM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong flags 1,600 at-risk elderly households, but experts say more unaccounted

Social welfare lawmaker says the number identified fails to reflect risk status of over 500,000 elderly people living alone or in pairs.

17 Jan 2026 - 11:21PM

Experts have urged the government to speed up efforts to locate more at-risk elderly residents. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong housing

3 homeowners at Hong Kong’s Redhill Peninsula fined for illegal building works

Homeowners were convicted and fined sums of HK$130,000, HK$85,000 and HK$60,000 for unauthorised works at seaside estate.

12 Jan 2026 - 7:11PM

Landslides triggered by a record-breaking downpour in 2023 drew attention to extensive illegal additions at Redhill Peninsula. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Exclusive | Hong Kong surveyor’s undeclared role prompts rule review after deadly Tai Po fire

Arrested surveyor’s undeclared link to Wang Fuk Court triggers move from the government to tighten potential conflict of interest rules.

12 Jan 2026 - 8:30AMvideocam

Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong housing estate flat owners drop contractor linked to Tai Po blaze

Property owners of Tuen Mun estate vote to terminate renovation contract with Prestige, citing safety concerns after fatal Wang Fuk Court fire.

10 Jan 2026 - 6:48PM

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Housing Department

35 families in Hong Kong shoebox flats face eviction since start of new rule

Occupants of another 40 subdivided flats who faced eviction last year are still living in Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building, housing chief reveals.

Only 4 of Hong Kong’s 110,000 subdivided homes put up for seal of approval

Long and short-term subsidised public rental housing wait falls below 5 years

Tai Po fire: building authorities slammed at inquiry for ‘mechanical mindset’

Former head of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit acknowledges that old supervision mechanism had created ‘blind spot’.

Tai Po fire: inspectors failed to anticipate firms’ deception, inquiry hears

Senior surveyor becomes first member of Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit to testify at hearing into city’s deadliest fire in decades.

Hong Kong corruption watchdog arrests 7 over rigged maintenance project tender

Syndicate suspected of targeting large maintenance project involving undisclosed conflicts of interest and contractor who doubled as consultant.

What the public inquiry into deadly Tai Po blaze has revealed so far

Ahead of fourth round of hearings that begin on Wednesday, we unpack what has emerged about disaster during independent committee’s 21 sessions.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | How Hong Kong can keep its student housing sector open to smaller players

Readers discuss developments in student accomodation, and the Tai Po fire.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | New tactic on water seepage can help keep Hong Kong buildings safe

Shifting responsibility for inspection costs to flat owners is a promising option and one worthy of support.

Fire risks not spotted due to old inspection guidelines, Tai Po blaze inquiry told

Government surveyors were following outdated guidelines that didn’t require them to examine renovation works in person at Wang Fuk Court, committee hears.

‘Regulatory vacuum’: Hong Kong fire probe reveals confusion over safety roles

Testimony by fire services officials shows departments split over handling complaints on Wang Fuk Court renovations.

Hong Kong authorities spend HK$34 million on Tai Po fire recovery works

Expenditure mainly covers removal of dangerous scaffolding and nets, and support to police and other departments in clearing debris.

Alleged petition forgery investigated as Wang Fuk Court rebuild plan rejected

Property owners had organised petition and emailed Hop On Management Company to raise concerns and request owners’ meeting.

Housing authorities expand use of smart technologies to support elderly

Government installing door sensors, in-home fall detectors and stair climbers at more public housing estates.

ICAC arrests 10 over using triad links to win HK$160 million renovation project

Operation by ICAC also led police to arrest 32 individuals in raids on premises believed to be controlled by bid-rigging syndicate’s triad elements.

Only 1 Hong Kong landlord seeks subdivided flat approval as new law takes effect

Housing Bureau receives 316 registration applications involving 1,160 subdivided flats for grace period, but only one to approve certification.

Which Hong Kong government departments get budget boosts while others face cuts?

New funding channelled into innovation, AI and intellectual property despite overall spending cuts and a drive to trim the civil service.

Average public housing wait time in Hong Kong rises to 5.6 years

Housing Bureau attributes third consecutive quarterly increase to high demand for flats in urban areas.

Social workers in Tai Po fire relief warn of burnout after colleague dies

Lack of communication by government on aid plans often adds stress to heavy workload, they say.

Hong Kong reserves 4,000 homes for tenants hit by subdivided flats overhaul

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho says demand from 30,000 affected households will be ‘digested’ over extended period.

Construction worker falls, pierces buttock on rebar at Hong Kong government site

Labour authorities investigating after police receive report on Thursday morning of accident at Tung Chung site under Housing Department.

Letters | Hong Kong should build a lasting foundation for stronger fire safety

Readers discuss ways to enhance an inspection operation, the survival of cinemas, and the plight of subdivided-flat tenants.

Elderly Hongkongers facing eviction over subdivided flat revamp fear losing jobs

Residents of Sham Shui Po’s Yee Wa Building previously told they needed to leave sometime between March and December.

Hong Kong authorities start 2-month inspection operation on building fire safety

Fire Services Department begins checks on residential and mixed-use buildings planned at least 39 years ago to ensure safety equipment in place.

Hong Kong flags 1,600 at-risk elderly households, but experts say more unaccounted

Social welfare lawmaker says the number identified fails to reflect risk status of over 500,000 elderly people living alone or in pairs.

3 homeowners at Hong Kong’s Redhill Peninsula fined for illegal building works

Homeowners were convicted and fined sums of HK$130,000, HK$85,000 and HK$60,000 for unauthorised works at seaside estate.

Exclusive | Hong Kong surveyor’s undeclared role prompts rule review after deadly Tai Po fire

Arrested surveyor’s undeclared link to Wang Fuk Court triggers move from the government to tighten potential conflict of interest rules.

Hong Kong housing estate flat owners drop contractor linked to Tai Po blaze

Property owners of Tuen Mun estate vote to terminate renovation contract with Prestige, citing safety concerns after fatal Wang Fuk Court fire.

Letters | How Hong Kong can keep its student housing sector open to smaller players

Editorial | New tactic on water seepage can help keep Hong Kong buildings safe