Calls grow for flexible stays in emergency housing for displaced subdivided flat tenants

Lawmakers have urged the government to allow more flexible stays and speed up the admission process for a proposed transitional housing reserve aimed at helping subdivided flat tenants facing sudden eviction.

The calls came after the Housing Bureau proposed setting aside some transitional housing units as emergency reserves for displaced tenants. Under the current proposal, eligible residents would be allowed to stay in the units for up to three months.

Speaking on a radio program, lawmaker Elaine Chik Kit-ling said the three-month limit could be too rigid and urged the government to introduce a flexible extension mechanism based on individual circumstances.

She said it would be undesirable if tenants were forced to return to poor living conditions after staying in transitional housing for only three months.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Scott Leung Man-kwong called on the authorities to further streamline the admission process. While noting the government’s target of allocating units within a week, Leung said there was still room for improvement.

He suggested that in extreme emergencies, authorities could consider allowing immediate move-ins, with administrative vetting completed afterward, to ensure residents facing sudden eviction do not become homeless.

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