Housing is an issue of great public concern. Since the proposed regulatory regime on basic housing units was unveiled, local and international media have shown significant interest in this issue. Since taking office, the current government has introduced various measures to substantially increase public housing supply in Hong Kong by enhancing quantity, speed, efficiency and quality.
Coupled with some 30,000 units of light public housing under construction now and to be completed by 2026-27, the total public housing supply in the coming five years will reach 189,000 units, about 80 per cent higher than that of the previous five-year period (2022-23 to 2026-27).
In addition, around 18,000 transitional housing units have already been completed and are in operation, with the remaining 3,000 units expected to be completed in 2025 to plug the short-term supply gap.
The increase in public housing supply does more than enable eligible households to find places in public housing more quickly with improved living conditions. It also helps the government tackle the long-standing issue of subdivided units, especially given that about 40 per cent of the roughly 110,000 households in subdivided units are applying for public rental housing.
Under the proposed regulatory regime on basic housing units that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his latest policy address, only up-to-standard subdivided units, with confirmation by professionals and recognised as basic housing units, will be allowed to be rented out in future. Otherwise, there would be criminal liability on the part of landlords to rent out substandard subdivided units, while the tenants concerned would not be held liable.
Currently, there are about 220,000 residents living in subdivided units. The condition of these units varies greatly, from very poor conditions without separation of the toilet and bedroom to some quite decent ones with proper toilet, cooking area and opening windows. Some are even fully furnished and renovated to meet the needs of working people and university students for easier access to work or school, as well as various social demands arising from special family needs.