Hot Topics: Will Hong Kong’s ‘light public housing’ scheme really help low-income groups? Here’s what you should know

A new scheme designed to create 30,000 transitional homes on eight sites to address the housing shortage was promised in the city leader’s first policy address last year.

Unlike Hong Kong’s long-standing rental housing scheme, temporary housing is made up of buildings that will be used for five or more years to provide a bridging option for those waiting for a permanent subsidised home.

By the end of September last year, about 234,600 applicants were on the public housing waiting list. The new scheme hopes to reduce the waiting time for public housing from six years to four-and-a-half years by 2026-27.

Currently, the number of permanent homes accounts for only one-third of the 360,000 public flats planned for the next decade, with the rest expected to be completed between about 2027 and 2032.

“The government has already located land for the future decade’s housing supply, but the problem lies in the lack of housing supply in the first five years. This light public housing can fill the gap,” Lee said, adding that it was one of the government’s many efforts to improve the living environment.

The Architectural Services Department will build the temporary homes, which will range from 107 to 333 sq ft, on eight public and private sites. The sites are reserved for other long-term purposes and so cannot be used for permanent housing. Monthly rent for a 140 sq ft flat under the scheme will start at HK$780, while the largest home measuring 330 sq ft that could house up to five occupants will cost up to HK$2,650.

People who have been on the waiting list for permanent public housing for three years or more will be eligible to apply, and priority will be given to those with families.

The Housing Bureau revealed last month that a prime Kai Tak site would account for the bulk of the 17,000 flats to be completed in the first phase of the scheme.

Housing minister Winnie Ho Wing-yin said after two years of construction and five years of usage, the sites will be returned to the Development Bureau for long-term commercial land use.
Staff writers

Question prompts:

• Why did John Lee propose the light public housing? Explain using Context and your own knowledge.

• Based on Context and Glossary, list TWO differences between light public housing and permanent subsidised housing.

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Question prompts:

• What are TWO details you notice about the light public housing locations shown in the table?

• What concerns might people have about living in these light public housing sites? Explain using the table, News and your own knowledge.

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• Lawmakers are concerned about whether temporary homes can be reused to maximise their worth in future

• Chief Executive John Lee said the temporary homes are more about improving lives than just building costs

Hong Kong lawmakers approved a new temporary housing scheme last Wednesday but still need to secure HK$14.9 billion in funding out of an eventual total of HK$26.4 billion from the legislature’s Finance Committee.

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said the initial funding request included the dismantling fees of the temporary homes, adding that she expected about 70 per cent of the components could be reused.

“It is difficult to tell what they will be used for after seven years ... We believe we will discuss that later, such as for storage places, office and hostel projects. We are open to different opinions,” Ho said.

Last December, the housing chief revealed that the construction of temporary public flats could cost more than permanent units. Building the temporary structures with 16 to 18 floors would cost HK$680,000 per unit, similar to the HK$650,000 cost of a permanent public home.

Lawmaker Chan Hok-fung said: “Permanent public housing flats can be used for more than 50 years, but light public housing is only for five years. The government has to explain why it is much more expensive.”

Amid criticism of the high construction costs, Chief Executive John Lee defended the new scheme by saying that improving low-income groups’ quality of life was about more than just the numbers.

“These cold figures have not considered their daily hardships of eating right outside the bathroom ... while children have never sat on a sofa and don’t have a table at which to do their homework,” Lee said last year.

But Caesar Choi Lok-ching, a land policy researcher at Liber Research Community, remained unconvinced.

“It is not proper that the government works out a policy without considering cost-effectiveness. We cannot just say it is a good policy, and we will do it at any cost,” Choi said, questioning whether low-income groups would be able to improve their lives in remote areas where there was a lack of community facilities and public transport.
Staff writers

Question prompts:

• To what extent do you agree that the new scheme can address the shortage of housing and improve low-income groups’ quality of life? Explaining using Context and News.

• Refer to the last two paragraphs in News. Why did Caesar Choi condemn the light public housing policy for not “considering cost-effectiveness”? To what extent do you agree with him? Explain using News and your own knowledge.

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• Residents collect nearly 12,000 signatures in three days from people opposed to the building of flats at Kai Tak under a ‘light public housing’ scheme

• Government’s vision to transform Kai Tak into the city’s second central business district remains unchanged

Residents who oppose the building of more than 10,000 temporary public flats at a prime site in the Kai Tak area have collected nearly 12,000 signatures in three days, while the housing minister has tried to alleviate concerns by stressing the land will be used for its intended commercial purpose after seven years.

“Light public housing can help to tackle the city’s housing crunch but it can be placed in other places,” residents’ representative Pat Wong said. “The government has been spending money and time to develop Kai Tak for years. We hope the government can follow its original planning of developing it into a central business district.”

The Kai Tak Development project, a plan to turn the area into a bustling residential and commercial district, has gone through multiple changes since the 1990s.

With the rezoning of several commercial sites for housing, Kai Tak’s population last year was estimated to reach 158,000.

Several lawmakers, district councillors and developers have raised concerns about the area’s transport capacity, while others have said the scheme will block the views of private complexes and affect home prices.

Housing minister Winnie Ho Wing-yin dismissed concerns about transport, saying the site was situated between two railway stations. “The use of railway services in the morning peak hours in Kai Tak only reaches 50 per cent,” Ho said, adding that the area would only have to accommodate an additional 25,000 residents.

She also revealed that the Transport Department would establish two more bus routes to meet demand.

“After two years of construction and five years of usage, we will return the site to the Development Bureau for long-term commercial land use. It will not affect the government’s plan to build Hong Kong’s second core business district in Kowloon East.”

She urged people to think of the “social value” of the scheme, saying it could significantly improve the living conditions of underprivileged residents. “I want to quickly assist residents in need of public housing. I describe the plan as a ‘lifeboat’ ... the temporary housing has a historical mission that will be completed at a certain point,” Ho said.
Staff writers

Question prompts:

• List THREE reasons mentioned in Issue that explain why some people oppose the building of light public housing in Kai Tak.

• How did the government respond to the above-mentioned concerns? Explain using Issue.

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Kai Tak Development: a complex development project spanning over 320 hectares. It covers the former airport site with the adjoining districts of Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong. After planning and a public participation process, a finalised scheme with a mix of community, housing, business, tourism and infrastructure uses was proposed.

light public housing: was proposed in John Lee’s policy address last October. The scheme, with an ultimate target of about 30,000 flats by 2027 for those in line for public homes, hopes to shorten the waiting time from six years to 4.5 years. Built on eight public and private sites, light public housing is intended for five years of use. People who have been on the waiting list for permanent public housing for three years or more would be eligible to apply, and priority would be given to families.

policy address: delivered by Chief Executive John Lee on October 19 last year, titled “Charting a Brighter Tomorrow for Hong Kong”. In his inaugural policy address, Lee announced several measures to attract talent and enterprises, build more affordable homes, improve health, reform the governing system and seize development opportunities.

public housing: a subsidised flat in Hong Kong that aims to help low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation. Permanent public housing flats can be used for more than 50 years. Applicants must be over 18 years old and have the right to live, study or work in Hong Kong. They must not own any residential property in Hong Kong, and their assets and income cannot exceed a set sum. By the end of September last year, there were about 234,600 applicants waiting for public housing.

quality of life: an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns

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Context:

• Why did John Lee propose the light public housing? Explain using Context and your own knowledge. It takes time to find sites for building public housing, and there is a lack of housing supply in the coming five years. So the administration hopes that light public housing can fill the gap and shorten the waiting time from six years to 4.5 years. Low-income people who are waiting for permanent subsidised homes have to live in subdivided flats suffering from expensive rents and inadequate living space. The light public housing hopes to improve the living environment of these low-income groups. (accept other reasonable answers)

• Based on Context and Glossary, list TWO differences between light public housing and permanent subsidised housing. Light public housing is temporary housing that will serve for five or more years while subsidised housing is made to last for more than 50 years. Only people who have been on the waiting list for permanent public housing for three years or more would be eligible for apply for light public housing while applications for permanent subsidised flats are available for people aged above 18.

Table:

• What are TWO details you notice about the light public housing locations shown in the table? The light public housing sites are located in remote districts, such as Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. / The sites are meant for public or private uses with other long-term purposes that are not residential. (accept other reasonable answers)

• What concerns might people have about living in these light public housing sites? Explain using the table, News and your own knowledge. The light public housing might not be able to improve residents’ quality of living as many of the sites are in rural areas that lack sufficient community facilities and public transportation. / The temporary homes are being built in phases which will not be able to accommodate all the applicants waiting for public housing. / These homes are only temporary, and moving will take a financial and emotional toll on its low-income residents.

News:

• To what extent do you agree that the new scheme can address the shortage of housing and improve low-income groups’ quality of life? Explaining using Context and News. I agree to a certain extent that the new housing scheme could help address the housing shortage as it increases the supply of public housing to shorten the waiting time from six years to 4.5 years. Although light public housing is temporary and the homes are located in remote areas, they provide better and more affordable accommodation to low-income families who are now living in subdivided flats.

• Refer to the last two paragraphs in News. Why did Caesar Choi condemn the light public housing policy for not “considering cost-effectiveness”? To what extent do you agree with him? Explain using News and your own knowledge. He condemned the policy because the cost of building temporary homes is as expensive as permanent housing, but they can only be useful for five years and the government did not disclose the budget details. I don’t agree with Choi that the government lacks consideration of cost-effectiveness in building light public housing. Housing is a basic necessity, and providing light public housing could save the cost of giving out extra subsidies to aid low-income families. Also, even after being used for seven years as temporary homes, 70 per cent of the components might still be reusable for other purposes.

Issue:

• List THREE reasons mentioned in Issue that explain why some people oppose the building of light public housing in Kai Tak. The light public housing is delaying the development of the Kai Tak area into a central business hub. The temporary homes might block the views of private complexes and affect home prices. The temporary homes would bring more population to the area which will affect public transport.

• How did the government respond to the above-mentioned concerns? Explain using Issue. Officials promised that the land would be used only for seven years, and the government’s plan to develop the area as a central business district remained unchanged. Two more bus routes would be established in the area to meet demand.