The government is stepping up efforts to crack down on the abuse of public housing in Hong Kong. The Housing Department announced yesterday that there were 5 cases of individuals living in public housing convicted of not declaring residential properties in Hong Kong. In these cases, 6 individuals were sentenced to 14 days in prison, with a 12-month probation period, fines, and the requirement to surrender the units. Additionally, the Secretary for Housing, Ho Wing-Yin, revealed in an interview with the media that the government is considering offering rewards to encourage reporting of public housing abuse.
Three residents of On Tai Estate were found to have falsely declared no ownership of residential properties in Hong Kong when applying for and reporting income and assets related to public housing in 2018. However, subsequent investigations revealed that these residents collectively owned a residential property in Tai Kok Tsui, one in Kai Tak, and a shared ownership in a property in the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island.
Furthermore, two residents of Sau Mau Ping South Estate failed to declare ownership of residential properties in Hong Kong in 2022. It was later discovered that these individuals jointly owned a property in To Kwa Wan at the time of the offense. The last case involved a public housing resident from Kwong Yuen Estate who was found to fully own a residential property in Ngau Tau Kok.
According to the Housing Department, the three residents from On Tai Estate were charged for making false statements knowingly, violating the Housing Ordinance; while the residents from Sau Mau Ping South Estate and Kwong Yuen Estate were charged for refusing or neglecting to provide details as required in the declaration form specified by the ordinance.
All 6 individuals were found guilty by the official court in Ngau Tau Kok on the 24th of this month. Considering the severity of the offenses, the defendants were sentenced to 14 days in prison, a 12-month probation period, and fines ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 Hong Kong dollars. The Housing Department has already reclaimed two public housing units, issued eviction notices to two other tenants, and will have the remaining unit returned by the involved resident by the end of July.
A spokesperson for the Housing Department reminded all public housing applicants that knowingly making false statements to the Hong Kong Housing Authority during the application process constitutes a violation of the Housing Ordinance, with penalties of fines up to 50,000 Hong Kong dollars and up to 6 months of imprisonment. Such violations can result in the cancellation of the housing applications and the reclaiming of occupied public housing units.
The recent “Ho-Pak, Ho-Tai” incident has sparked heated discussions across the city, with suspicions of public housing abuse surrounding the two individuals. Ho Wing-Yin mentioned that while the case has become sensationalized, she believes it should not be sensationalized further. However, for the government, this is a serious matter that will be handled with utmost seriousness.
She noted that whenever suspected cases of public housing abuse are identified, resources within the Department will initiate investigations and follow up on available information, whether from television or online sources. Currently, a special team comprising two retired senior police officers and six retired police personnel is responsible for handling such cases.
One public housing resident, Ho-Tai, was found to own properties in mainland China without making any declaration. Ho Wing-Yin stated that the Housing Department is conducting investigations into this matter. The Department has contacted various provinces and cities in mainland China as well as Macau to inquire about the situations of 9 tenants residing in Tuen Mun Estate, Chuen Yeung Estate, Ngau Tau Kok Lower Estate, Yan Tin Estate, Queen’s Hill Estate, Lei Muk Shue Estate, and Shek Mun Estate. These tenants are suspected of concealing their ownership of properties in mainland China.
Responses from relevant authorities confirmed that these tenants do own residential or commercial properties in mainland China or Macau, with asset values exceeding the limits for public housing applications. Eviction notices have been issued or legal actions are being pursued, resulting in the reclamation of some public housing units.
Regarding the government’s proposal to offer rewards for reporting abuse of public housing, Ho Wing-Yin revealed that the plan is actively being considered, with detailed guidelines under study. She also addressed concerns about the impact of reporting behaviors on neighborhood relationships, highlighting issues such as renting out public housing units or setting up gambling activities, leading to the presence of many strangers and disrupting the community unity, which should be discouraged.