Temporary Housing Insights: Hong Kong's Public Rental Flats Waiting Time Unchanged
Current Status of Temporary Housing in Hong Kong
The average waiting time for public rental flats in Hong Kong has remained unchanged at 5½ years during Q3 2024. Authorities noted a quicker housing process in the New Territories, but the overall availability of homes is limited.
Key Developments
- Unchanged Waiting Time: The waiting duration for general applicants, including families and elderly households, stays at 5½ years.
- The Housing Authority stated that shorter wait times for the New Territories contributed largely to this figure.
- Flats Availability: The number of public rental housing flats allocated in this quarter was fewer compared to previous allocations.
Government Initiatives
- The new scheme to enhance housing access is called light public housing.
- About 30,000 light public housing flats are expected to be completed by 2025.
- The goal is to reduce waiting times to 4½ years by 2026-27.
As of now, 122,000 general applicants and 91,000 non-elderly single candidates are waiting for public rental housing. The government plans to develop 410,000 public flats over the next decade, surpassing the demand estimate.
Despite these objectives, two-thirds of the anticipated flats may not be ready until between 2029-30 and 2033-34.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.