(Policy Address 2023) Hong Kong establishes new task force to tackle issue of subdivided units

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he will establish a Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units in hope of improving the conditions and environment of citizens living in subdivided units. 

The task force will be led by Deputy Financial Secretary with the Secretary for Housing as deputy. It will have 10 months to study the issue in detail and present recommendations. 

The directions of their work include setting the minimum standards of living conditions for subdivided units in terms of their building safety, fire safety and hygiene requirements; living space; suggesting measures to eradicate substandard subdivided units; and preventing the resurgence of substandard subdivided units. 

The task force will also need to put forward solutions to address the problem in an orderly manner, covering necessary administrative and legislative proposals, Lee noted. 

Lee said that there are currently about 220,000 people living in around 110,000 subdivided units. 

“According to a preliminary survey, many subdivided units offer undesirable living conditions, and most occupants are awaiting public rental housing allocation,” Lee said. 

“That said, certain subdivided units offer a slightly better living environment, and some occupants therein may have higher incomes and even possess properties, having opted to live in subdivided units because of the convenient locations for going to work or study.”