New batch of light public housing units opens for applications: Over 5,000 flats available

A new batch of more than 5,000 light public housing units opened for applications on Monday. 

Many residents, primarily senior citizens and middle-aged individuals, flocked to the Housing Authority’s office in Lok Fu to sign up for the transitional flats in the morning.

Among the applicants was a mother living with her daughter in Kwun Tong, paying a monthly rent of HK$5,000. 

She hoped to secure a flat in Kai Tak, believing the area offered better schools for her child.

Another applicant expressed a preference for Kai Tak, said: “Air quality in Kai Tak is good; it is a new area with a cleaner environment. I don’t like loud places; loud noises give me headaches.”

An elderly woman was considering the new flats in Kwun Tong due to their convenient access to public transportation. 

Although she had thought about the flats in Sheung Shui, she ultimately opted against them after visiting the site, saying, “People like us with bad knees are unable to climb 180 steps of stairs.”

The second round of the light public housing program will provide about 5,060 flats in four locations: Olympic Avenue in Kai Tak (Phase 1), Tsing Fuk Lane in Tuen Mun, Shun On Road in Kwun Tong, and Choi Yuen Road in Sheung Shui. 

Monthly rents for these units range from about HK$860 to HK$3,270.

Residents are eligible to apply if they have been on the waiting list for traditional public housing for three years or more, with priority given to family applicants. 

Announced in 2022 by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the light public housing scheme aims to address the short-term public housing shortage and improve living conditions for those in inadequate housing.

(Jamie Liu)