Last year’s “Policy Address” proposed the establishment of a working group to address the issue of inadequate housing and to set standards for cracking down on substandard subdivided units. A survey released by Caritas Community Development Service yesterday found that 70% of residents living in subdivided units or cubicle apartments support the government legislating to regulate substandard housing and setting up a licensing system for such units. However, more than 60% of those surveyed were concerned that after the government cracks down on substandard housing, they may not be able to find affordable units in urban areas. The group recommended that the government should seek more land in the city to accelerate the construction of more public housing units and transitional public housing.
Caritas spokesperson Wong Chi-kiu stated that single occupants living in subdivided units have to consider their financial capabilities and often end up choosing smaller, more affordable units, increasing their chances of living in substandard housing. Under the current allocation system, they may have to wait for up to 10 years without a guarantee of being allocated a unit. She believes that while the government is setting standards for substandard housing, they should also improve the public housing allocation system for single individuals and provide support such as transitional housing and more single-person units in public housing estates.
52-year-old Ah Lai, who applied for public housing in 2006, only needed 150 points at the time to be eligible. However, after waiting for 17 years, her points have now increased to 445. She feels that knowing the points is meaningless as the wait continues, jokingly mentioning that “dragons migrate freely, points keep accumulating; I thought four years ago that in another four years, I could move in, but this year it still shows another four-year wait.” She has moved five times due to rent increases, poor conditions, or non-renewal of the lease, and currently lives in a space of about 70 square feet with a monthly rent of $4,000.
She shared an incident where a Housing Department staff member suggested that she should get married to expedite her housing allocation, leaving her feeling “mentally collapsed.” She criticized the government’s policy as discriminatory against single individuals, stressing that single non-elderly individuals are being neglected under the current housing policies. She urged the government to review the allocation system for single individuals and construct more public housing units specifically for them.
Another single individual, 75-year-old Ah Kin, who previously did not apply for public housing due to excess income before retirement, began queuing for public housing four years ago after retiring. Having depleted his savings over the years, he now has to rely on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance. The maximum amount of rent subsidy he receives is $2,515, which is insufficient for his $3,000 monthly rent for a smaller cubicle apartment, also struggling with a flea infestation.
Caritas’ survey also inquired whether residents in substandard housing would consider applying for the government’s newly introduced transitional public housing. Sixty percent of those surveyed indicated that they would not consider it, citing heavy relocation costs and the inconvenience of moving before settling into their permanent home. Some expressed concerns about the location and convenience of the transitional housing for work and education, while nearly twenty percent preferred their current community.
Ah Yin and her husband have been queuing for public housing for ten years and currently rent a 100-square-foot subdivided unit without a kitchen for $3,800 a month. She views it as substandard housing but is not considering applying for transitional housing due to its short lease term and higher rent compared to the current unit. She believes she will be allocated public housing soon and stresses that building transitional housing is more expensive than constructing public housing directly, urging the government to tackle the housing problem effectively.
Single mother Ah Yuen, who single-handedly cares for her 6-year-old daughter with learning disabilities and cannot work, rents a “light room” managed by a social enterprise with a lease expiring in September, necessitating her to find alternative accommodation. She was ineligible for transitional housing in Sham Shui Po’s Kam Chau Street due to not meeting the conditions related to public housing application periods. Despite considering renting another cubicle apartment in Sham Shui Po, she needs a space that accommodates a desk for her daughter to study, which would cost at least $5,000 to rent. With a rent allowance of $4,440 from CSSA, she relies on her living expenses to cover the shortfall. She hopes the government will construct more transitional housing in urban areas, preferably progressing directly to public housing to enhance the living conditions of grassroots families.
Caritas Community Development Service spokesperson Cheung Ka-wai revealed that one to four-person households spend over thirty percent of their income on net rent. Some subdivided unit residents do not have separate water and electricity meters designated by the Water Supplies Department and power companies, leading to potentially higher monthly utilities costs. The survey shows that median monthly water and electricity expenses for respondents range from $100 to $500, posing a burden on low-income tenants.
Residents of subdivided units attending the press conference held by Caritas Community Development Service urged the government not to shift focus but to concentrate on addressing substandard housing, constructing transitional housing, and simplifying public housing. They believe that the core problem of substandard housing can be solved by increasing the supply of public housing, specifically by constructing more public housing units in urban areas.