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Policy address 2024: New regulation on improving subdivided flat living condition

 

John Lee Ka-chiu announces his third policy address in his term of office.

A new law will regulate subdivided units to ensure they meet requirements such as having windows, independent toilets and kitchens as well as a minimum size of 86 sq ft., said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in the policy address this morning.

More than 200,000 people live in subdivided units according to the Census and Statistics Department in 2021. 

This doesn’t include people living in other substandard housing, such as cage homes or partitioned rooms.

These can suffer from inadequate infrastructure, poor air circulation, infestations of pests and rodents and unsanitary conditions, according to a Society for Community Organization press release in August.

Subdivided flat resident, Wong, 41, who declined to provide her full name due to family issues, said she never opens the window in her flat “because rats and ants will come in.”

Participants demanding more support for the low-income group.

Some residents of subdivided flats are waiting for public housing, which has an average wait time of 5.5 years, according to the Housing Authority. 

“The waiting time for public housing is too long in Hong Kong. If people can’t wait for public housing, we hope to improve their living environment,” said Sze Lai-shan, the deputy director of SOCO. 

Many subdivided flats are hidden inside old buildings such as this one.
Wong, 41, who declines to provide her full name due to family issues, and says she never opens the window in her flat because rats and ants will come in.

The legislation will provide a grace period for landlords to renovate substandard housing. 

The government will establish a registration system for existing subdivided units. Unregistered flats will be illegal. 

Tenants will not be held liable. 

Lui says the government must closely monitor the changes in the subdivided flat market.

“The worst situation will be the landlord raising rent during contract renewal, when the subdivided flats are required to be improved,”said Angela Lui Yi-shan, 35, community organizer.

Cheung Kwai-wing, 54, who has been living in a subdivided unit with his daughter for six years said, “The landlord told me he must raise the rent as the living condition improves.” 

Cheung said it is important to regulate the starting rent, otherwise, landlords can raise the rent infinitely.

“I am worried that we might have no place to live, if the government does not arrange placement for us when our flat is being renovated,” said Cheung.

Cheung is living in a 100 sq ft.unit paying HK$5,000 for rent.

Since 2022, the government has restricted the rate of rent increases for the renewal of subdivided tenancy agreements based on a territory-wide rental index. It does not regulate the starting rent. 

Wong Chi-gwong, 77, said a hundred percent of people living in subdivided flats are not satisfied with their living environment. “The standard that the government has defined was actually the basic needs of a human,” said Wong.

Wong says all he wants is a stable place to live no matter where it is.

The Task Force will announce the details and seek the views of the LegCo and stakeholders for drawing up the legislative proposals and related measures, such as the timetable for registration.

 

《The Young Reporter》

The Young Reporter (TYR) started as a newspaper in 1969. Today, it is published across multiple media platforms and updated constantly to bring the latest news and analyses to its readers.

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