Opting for light public housing won’t affect waiting time for traditional public homes: Winnie Ho

Tenants of light public housing can expect to move to traditional public housing in two to three years since opting to live in light public housing won’t affect their waiting time, said housing minister Winnie Ho Wing-yin. 

On a radio program on Saturday, Ho mentioned that the land use of light public housing has been fixed for at least five years. The average waiting time for traditional public housing is now 5.7 years and it is expected to be further shortened with more units to be completed. 

Given the at least three-year wait for eligible applicants of light public housing, it is expected that they can relocate to traditional public housing in two to three years, Ho noted. 

Yet, if the successful applicants refuse the flat allocated to them three times straight, this indicates they don’t have urgent housing needs and they will be asked to move out of the light public housing, Ho also said. 

The housing chief also pointed out that about 85,000 letters will be posted to eligible citizens who have been on the waiting list for three years or more, inviting them to apply for the light public housing. 

The first batch of 4,400 light public housing units in Yuen Long and Ngau Tau Kok will accept applications on June 24. Criteria for allocation will include applicants’ current living environment, health condition, the number of elderly and children in the household, etc. 

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