Housing chief ‘confident’ in completing law change on public housing misuse this year

Hong Kong’s housing chief said on Saturday that the government is confident in making an amendment to the law this legislative session making serious misuse of public housing a crime, adding that she has already engaged with political parties and gained their support.

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin told a radio program this morning that she believes that combating the misuse of public housing requires a balance of "reason and compassion”.

She emphasized that the legislation specifically targets serious misuse of public housing, referring to situations where there is no trace of public housing residency but the property is being exploited for profit.

For instance, using a public housing unit for commercial purposes without declaring it during the application process, such as operating a gym or dance studio, would constitute serious misuse, she said.

Regarding concerns about public housing tenants running tutoring centers at their units, Ho said such situations could involve neighbors helping each other out, like assisting busy neighbors by looking after their children.

Meanwhile, she said tenants engaging in handicrafts or preparing food to sell in stores can be viewed as "small hobbies" when they do not involve industrial-scale production or sales from the unit.

The severity of such activities would determine whether they violate the lease agreement or necessitate eviction, she added.

The housing chief reiterated that the current penalties for public housing abuse are not high enough, and the enforcement efforts are inadequate.

“Previously, some individuals viewed receiving eviction notices as a manageable consequence without further punishment, indicating the need for legislative amendments, said Ho.