Light public housing rent as low as $570 a month

Stacy Shi

Monthly rent for light public housing will be between HK$570 and HK$2,650 depending on the size and district, says Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin.

In a document submitted to the Legislative Council yesterday, Ho said authorities will seek funding approval for the first light public housing in the first quarter.

The Legco panel will meet on Monday to discuss housing policies proposed by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his maiden policy address.

Lee announced that government and private land not assigned for future development can be used to build light public housing through a standard simple design.

The rent is initially set at about 90 percent of the newly completed traditional public rental housing in the same district.

Flats come in various sizes, including larger units suitable for four to five people. Each unit comes with a toilet, a cooking area and fitted with air conditioner and a water heater, the Legco document said.

To promote the participation of different stakeholders, the government is considering adopting a collaborative approach by inviting tenders from experienced organizations to take up responsibilities of operation, management and maintenance.

Potential operators will be required to allocate flats in accordance with the criteria set by the government, sign tenancy agreements and handle tenancy matters. They will need to implement exit plans for tenants, assist and arrange removal and provide service referrals, including appropriate social services to the community at large.

To achieve the target of about 30,000 units in the next five years, the government will seek funding and move ahead with construction and future operation of light public housing.

The government has confirmed that the construction of about 14,000 units in nine public housing estate projects will be completed ahead, while 12,000 units in eight projects are set to be built between 2023-24 and 2027-28 under the public rental housing advance allocation scheme.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com