Housing costs hit home for people on low incomes

A quarter of grassroots respondents are reporting their housing expenses are exceeding HK$7,000, raising concerns that potential welfare cuts due to the fiscal deficit could exacerbate the wealth gap.

Grassroots Wishes, a non-governmental organization, is urging the SAR administration not to impose arbitrary spending cuts in the upcoming budget.

Its finding came in a January 20 to February 16 survey of 536 respondents whose average monthly household income is around HK$15,000 across all 18 districts.

Many of them allocate a significant portion of their income to rent, leaving little room for other necessities.

Nearly 60 percent have family members facing joblessness or underemployment last year, with over 40 percent seeing unemployment lasting over three months.

May lives in a cramped 45-square-foot subdivided flat in Yau Ma Tei, sharing a bathroom and lacking a kitchen.

Although her rent hasn't been raised in eight years, she has been asked to move out in two years due to new housing regulations.

Currently without a job and savings to move, she is hoping for relocation subsidies.

May has been waiting for public housing updates since her application in 2009.

For 58-year-old Chan, a construction worker who has been jobless for nearly three months, companies are increasingly hiring foreign workers.

"While others enjoy lavish meals, I'm just having soy sauce over rice," she said half-jokingly.

Grassroots Wishes wants a cash allowance trial scheme and subsidies for residents until they get their housing keys.

It also wants a comprehensive review of the foreign labor policy, promotion of a living wage and prioritization of placement before removal in the basic housing units policy implementation.

Cheng Wong