LCQ13: Making good use of public housing resources
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Question:
According to the latest information of the Housing Department (HD), as at the end of March this year, the average waiting time for general applicants who were housed to public rental housing (PRH) in the past 12 months maintained at 5.3 years, reflecting that PRH supply is still in severe shortage. However, the Office of The Ombudsman, Hong Kong, launched a direct investigation in 2023 into the Housing for Senior Citizens (HSC) and converted one-person (C1P) units, which were introduced by the HD in the 1980s, pointing out that these units are outdated in design due to the need to share facilities such as bathrooms and kitchens, resulting in persistently high vacancy rates and failure to make effective deployment of public housing resources. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the following information on HSC units (i.e. (i) HSC Type 1 design units, (ii) HSC Type 2 design units, (iii) HSC Type 3 design units, and (iv) C1P units) across the territory at present: (a) the total number, (b) the number of vacant units, and (c) the names of the PRH estates to which they belong;
(2) of the current status of the vacant units of the various types of HSC units mentioned in (1), together with a breakdown by vacancy period (i.e. (i) less than one year, (ii) one year to less than two years, (iii) two years to less than five years, (iv) five years to less than 10 years, and (v) 10 years or more);
(3) of the total number of individuals who were allocated various types of HSC units in the past three years, and among which the number of those who refused to accept the allocated units, with a breakdown by type of applicant (i.e. (i) those who joined the Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) and (ii) those who did not join EFAS);
(4) given that the authorities have recovered HSC Type 1 design units and C1P units and converted them into PRH units suitable for six persons or more, of the number of units recovered and converted in each of the past five years, as well as the names of the PRH estates involved; and
(5) whether the authorities will consider converting some HSC units for other purposes, such as Light Public Housing, temporary shelters or other forms of interim housing, so as to alleviate the demand pressure on PRH; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In the 1980s, the Housing Department (HD) introduced the Housing for Senior Citizens (HSC) to provide hostel-type public rental housing (PRH) for elderly tenants aged 60 or above. There are three types of HSC according to the design namely Type 1 (HS1), Type 2 (HS2) and Type 3 (HS3). In addition, Converted One-Person (C1P) units, which is of similar design as HS1, were provided in response to the society's demand for one-person PRH units at that time.
With the change of times, public expectations for living conditions and privacy are no longer the same. Tenants of HSC and C1P units have to share kitchens and/or bathrooms, and these units have become outdated and unpopular. To reduce their vacancy rates, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), having reviewed the situation of HSC and C1P units, has taken multiple measures, such as lifting the age limit for HSC, ceasing the allocation of HS1 and C1P units and providing tenants concerned with transfer incentives with a view to recovering and converting these units into ordinary PRH flats. As at end May 2025, the number of partitioned rooms in HS1 has decreased from approximately 5 600 in 2006 to only 369 at present (involving about 140 PRH flats). Meanwhile, the number of partitioned rooms in C1P units has significantly reduced from around 5 800 in 2000 to only 258 at present (involving about 100 PRH flats), collectively accounting for only 0.03 per cent of over 800 000 PRH flats in Hong Kong. Currently, all tenants residing in HS1 are elderly households and over 80 per cent of them are aged 80 or above. Similarly, nearly 95 per cent of tenants in C1P units are elderly, of whom more than 40 per cent are aged 80 or above. Given that the majority of residents are of advanced age, we will continue to address their housing needs with both reasonableness and compassion.
The reply in response to the questions raised by the Hon Chan Hoi-yan is as follows:
(1) The total number and vacant units of HSC and C1P units are listed in Annex 1; the respective PRH estates/courts are listed in Annex 2.
(2) Information on the vacancy period of HSC units is listed in Annex 3.
(3) The total number of PRH applicants who were allocated HSC units, and the number of refusals in the past three years are listed in Annex 4.
(4) The number of HS1 and C1P units converted into ordinary PRH flats in the past five years (from 2020 to 2024) and the respective PRH estates/courts are listed in Annex 5.
(5) It is the objective of the Government and the HA to provide PRH to low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation. Existing PRH resources (including HSC) should, as far as possible, be allocated to families or individuals on the PRH waiting list in accordance with established mechanisms to address their housing needs more directly and sustainably. Under the current policy, the purpose of existing transit centres and interim housing aim to meet temporary and transitional housing needs, and the current supply is sufficient to meet the demand. Currently, we have no plan to convert the vacant units into transit centre or interim housing.
The Light Public Housing (LPH) initiative has progressed well, with about 9 500 units completed for intake this year, and around 20 300 units and the remaining 200 units expected to be completed by 2026 and early 2027 respectively, steadily moving towards the goal of completing about 30 000 LPH units by 2027. Converting the remaining small and scattered vacant units across various estates into LPH is not cost-effective. We will continue to work closely with the Social Welfare Department and social welfare organisations to encourage tenants residing in HS1 and C1P units to consider transfer by offering incentives and benefits, including joining the "Full Rent Exemption Scheme for Elderly Households" to enjoy lifetime rent exemption and domestic removal allowance, and appropriate support provided based on individual housing and welfare needs.
Ends/Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:52
Issued at HKT 16:52
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