Team tasked with regulating Hong Kong’s subdivided flats submits proposal for minimum living standards
Hong Kong Free Press
A government-appointed task force has proposed introducing minimum living standards for Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats as part of government efforts to phase out “low-quality” units in a city with some of the world’s least affordable housing.
Chief Executive John Lee, who introduced the plan in his last Policy Address, received the taskforce’s report on Thursday. He said he had proposed additional items based on recent consultation findings, and asked for a further report to be submitted in a month.
“I hope to build a system to eradicate substandard subdivided flats in Hong Kong and improve the living environment of residents. I will consider the matter comprehensively and announce a decision after the task force has submitted a further report,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post.
Lee proposed establishing minimum thresholds for sub-divided flats in his 2023 Policy Address. Since then, political parties, surveyor groups, and NGOs have made proposals on what should be considered a sub-standard living space.
See also: Hong Kong should end ‘low-quality’ subdivided homes within 3 years, say pro-gov’t lawmakers
The report delivered Thursday includes standards including floor space, height, lighting, and ventilation, according to a government statement. Hygiene conditions and fire resistance will also be part of inspections to identify sub-divided units that can be legally registered.
The task force organised more than 20 meetings with political parties, academics, professional bodies, NGOs and other organisations, “with a view to to form a consensus among different sectors.”
It has also received more than 40 written submissions. The task force is headed by Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, and includes Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho and Director of Housing Rosanna Law.
Minimum requirements
Ming Pao reported this week that landlords will be required to hire professionals to conduct checks to ensure their units are up to par. They will be given a maximum of 12 months to complete improvement works, sources told the newspaper.
The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) last week proposed that sub-divided flats should measure no less than 1.8 metres in height and have seven square metres of floorspace.
The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors in May suggested to the task force that sub-divided units should measure a minimum 100 square feet.
The Society for Community Organization has called for a good resettlement plan for tenants of sub-standard units. Without such a plan, the new mechanism would only drive tenants to other illegal subdivided units, the NGO said.
Hong Kong, notorious for sky-high private property prices, had around 110,008 subdivided units in 2020, including subdivided flats, cubicles, bedspaces, space capsules, loft spaces and rooftop dwellings, according to government data.
About 30 per cent of the city’s households lived in subsidised accommodation as of 2022, with the average waiting time for a rent-subsidised government flat now around 5.5 years.
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