About 27 percent of 250,000 public rental housing tenants have submitted their declaration of flat ownership, just days before the deadline on Friday.
Director of Housing Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said the declaration for this second batch, distributed to tenants on April 2, is part of the government's effort to combat public rental housing abuse by requiring tenants to declare ownership of flats in Hong Kong and on the mainland.
During the first batch of declaration, starting last October, 74,851 forms - 85 percent of the 88,000 declaration forms distributed - were received two days before the deadline.
Speaking on radio Law said most tenants would submit the forms "at the last minute," noting Housing Department offices have also seen a recent increase in the number of tenants, mainly elderly residents, inquiring about declaration.
Election Committee lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan said tenants might be taking time submitting the forms as they wanted to ensure the declared information was accurate.
"They may be more cautious in making declarations as they know that they will have to face legal consequences for omissions."
Yung reminded households who have received the forms to declare their assets correctly before the deadline so that "housing resource abusers have nowhere to hide."
She urged the government to step up publicity and actively follow up by phone or visits to the households that have not yet submitted the forms.
Law said over 400 tenants declaring during the first batch surrendered their flats voluntarily.
The department has also found 380 tenants owning a property in Hong Kong and had to be removed from their current public rental housing flat.
"Some 300 households have also informed us that they would return their flats in this round."
The department has received about 12,000 reports of suspected abuse of public rental housing since last September, of which 190 flats were successfully recovered after investigation.
Property management or security companies reporting on the flats leading to their recovery are promised extra points in their next tender. There have been eight such cases so far.
Law said that to keep the reporting scheme fair, informants must use real names and fill out a detailed form to provide information. The department may also meet with the informants to ask for more information.
On the waiting time for public rental housing, she was optimistic that it would be shortened to 4.5 years in 2026/27 from the current 5.8 years following the completion of several large housing estates in the New Territories in the coming two years and the completion of light public housing flats.
stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com
