88,000 public housing tenants required to declare assets by the end of Nov, says housing director

Public housing tenants were required to declare incomes and assets - including property ownership - more frequently after the Housing Authority (HA) tightened the well-off tenant policies. The first batch of 88,000 residents have to submit the declarations by the end of November or risk their leases being terminated.

Starting this month, HA shortened the frequency of property declarations to every two years instead of ten years. Tenants of public housing who have resided for two to eight years would need to complete the declaration forms in batches, according to Director of Housing Rosanna Law Shuk-pui.

Law said the first batch of 88,000 tenants have to complete the assets declarations by the end of November. 

In case the tenants could not submit the declaration forms before December, they may be regarded as having rejected or intentionally neglected the declaration requirement, and could result in tenancy being terminated.

"I have every reason to wonder whether you normally reside in this public housing unit or not if you don't return to access the mailbox for two months without a valid reason," Law said.

She further said that the HA has frequently relied on reporting or taking action after events have occurred to combat the tenancy abuse.

"We are perceived as being more passive in fighting against tenancy abuse, but right now, we're asking everyone to report and making them accountable," Law added.