Hong Kong housing crackdown leaves some subdivided-flat tenants struggling to relocate
Hong Kong’s effort to bring subdivided flats up to minimum standards is forcing some tenants into other substandard homes, an advocacy group says. Residents face evictions as landlords leave the market, while campaigners warn that transitional housing may not provide enough capacity.
Hong Kong’s campaign to eliminate substandard subdivided housing is leaving some low-income tenants struggling to find alternative accommodation, according to an advocacy group. The Hong Kong Subdivided Flats Concerning Platform said residents were being displaced as landlords responded to new requirements under the Basic Housing Units Ordinance. The rules set minimum standards, including a size of at least 86 square feet, a waterproof toilet and other safety and hygiene conditions.
May, a 50-year-old single mother, said her landlord had given her four months’ notice to leave a 200 sq ft flat in Kwai Tsing. The landlord planned to leave the subdivided-housing market as the regulatory regime was introduced. May’s family had previously lived in a squatter hut and a 100 sq ft subdivided flat.
Their current home has windows, two partitioned bedrooms, a kitchen and space for the children to study. She said moving far away was difficult because one daughter had undergone back surgery and the children attended school nearby. The advocacy group surveyed 647 subdivided-flat households between March and June.
Of 59 families that had moved during the previous year, only five relocated to transitional housing or public rental housing. Sixteen moved to subdivided flats that appeared to meet the new standards, while 38 moved to other substandard homes or illegal properties such as squatter huts and industrial buildings. Lai Kin-kwok, a member of the group, said many moves were not improvements in living standards.
One cleaner, identified as Then, moved from a flat with a window to a home in an industrial building after her landlord decided to sell rather than upgrade the property. Her new flat has no windows and is next to a food factory. Transitional housing had more than 19,100 homes in operation by June.
Lai warned that projects representing about 12,770 homes could end next year or later as sites return to government or private owners. He urged the government to clarify its long-term transitional-housing policy and consider renting approved subdivided homes for people in need.
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