Last year’s “Policy Address” proposed the establishment of a working group to address the issue of substandard subdivided flats. The Community Organisations Alliance conducted interviews with 497 inadequate housing residents from January to early May and found that at least 30 percent of subdivided flats could be classified as “substandard,” estimating around 33,000 such units across Hong Kong. Over 90 percent of the interviewed subdivided flat residents agreed to crackdown on substandard flats, with nearly 90 percent requesting relocation before clearance.
According to the Alliance, based on general housing standards, meeting three of the following criteria qualifies a unit as “substandard subdivided flat”: single-person living space less than 7 square meters, shared living space per person less than 5.5 square meters; floor height less than 2 meters or subdivided for rental; unit subdivided into more than 5 partitions; partitions made of flammable materials; lack of kitchen, toilet, and bathing facilities, or connected kitchen and toilet; absence of air circulation system or windows that can be opened; visible safety issues such as concrete peeling or water seepage, or fire and structural safety issues in the building, with no improvement carried out despite repair orders issued by the Buildings Department or related government departments; rent exceeding 1.2 times the rateable value; unit located within “three-no” buildings (no owners’ corporation, no property management company, no residents’ association).
The Alliance estimates that among the nearly 110,000 subdivided flats in Hong Kong, 33,000 are considered substandard. The study revealed that 81 percent of respondents had living space per person less than 7 square meters, with nearly 70 percent below 5.5 square meters.
The survey indicated that 93.7 percent of respondents supported cracking down on substandard flats, but 88.5 percent requested government relocation assistance before clearance.
However, 6.2 percent of respondents opposed clearance for various reasons, including concerns about homelessness post-clearance, displacement affecting employment, life, or education, slightly exceeding public housing eligibility income limits, and ineligible due to parents holding two-way permits, children being minors, or lack of adult identification cards to apply for public housing.
Assistant Director of the Community Organisations Alliance, Si Lishan, expressed concerns over the limited transitional housing availability, urging the government to legislate, register subdivided flats within one to two years, and then execute the crackdown on substandard flats after proper relocation arrangements. She feared that without adequate relocation options, residents of substandard flats might end up on the streets if authorities simply issue demolition orders without proper solutions.
Regarding relocation preferences, most respondents were willing to accept “public housing in the original district” (64.2%); while accepting “public housing in a nearby district to the current residence” and “public housing in any area, subject to conditions such as transportation and facilities nearby,” garnered 49.3% and 31% respectively.
If the government’s final relocation plan involves district relocation, 25.2% of respondents said they would accept it, with 60.8% depending on conditions, particularly emphasizing transportation, children’s schooling, and job proximity. This illustrates that with additional government support, most residents are willing to cooperate even if relocation to a different district is required.
The Alliance proposed several recommendations, including advocating for an immediate island-wide registration freeze for subdivided flats and ensuring that future constructions of such units meet minimum housing standards, with building structure projects requiring approvals. The government’s working group on addressing subdivided flats issues should also involve grassroots organizations and tenants, conducting extensive consultations.
Moreover, in the implementation phase, owners would be given a 6-month period to rectify their units, with rental prohibition if improvements are not made until compliance. Tenants who signed leases after the legislation would have the right to terminate early and receive government relocation and relocation allowances, expediting the process for public housing applicants; those not applying for public housing should be accommodated in transitional housing or simplified public housing units.