Copying the European concept of transitional housing to Hong Kong wouldn’t work. Here’s why
- While the government aims to improve the social mobility of Hong Kong’s youth, it is lamentable that they may have to live in temporary ‘pipe homes’, says Chiu Kam-kuen of Cushman & Wakefield
On April 18, the government announced that the Chief Executive and the Executive Council had approved the exemption of waiver fees, rent and associated costs for land granted for transitional housing purposes as a measure to mitigate the hardship suffered by families living in inferior accommodation.
According to the legislature’s documents, there are approximately 1,600 units of transitional housing in Hong Kong, including the Trackside Villas owned by MTR Corporation, which will provide 252 units upon completion of renovation, scheduled for 2020.
The latest figure from the Housing Department indicates that the average waiting time for public housing has climbed to 5.5 years – the highest since 1997. The government’s “Long Term Housing Strategy Annual Progress Report 2018” announced an adjustment to the ratio of public to private housing, from 6:4 to 7:3.
This will result in a fall in the yearly supply of private housing units from 18,000 to 13,500. The report projected that there will only be 14,500 public housing units per year in the coming five years, and the average waiting time for public housing will be extended to six years.
The statistics show that the future public housing supply in Hong Kong will be inadequate, leading to longer and longer waiting times for families in need. In view of this, the government is going to further promote the Transitional Housing Scheme and provide underprivileged families with a liveable place while waiting for public housing.
