Average public housing wait time in Hong Kong rises to 5.6 years

Hong Kong’s average waiting time for a public rental flat rose to 5.6 years as of December, marking an increase for three consecutive quarters, as the Housing Bureau attributed the increase to high demand for flats in urban areas.

According to figures announced on Thursday, the latest average waiting time for general applicants – family or elderly households – over the past 12 months was higher than 5.5 years recorded in September and 5.4 years in June. The figure was 5.3 years, as of March 2025.

Between October and December, the bureau allocated 3,600 newly completed homes and 3,800 recovered flats to general applicants. Of the 7,400 general applicants placed in public rental housing, 70 per cent were housed in “Urban” and “Extended Urban” districts.

“These districts are very popular districts among applicants, thus the waiting time for [such districts] is about two years longer than that for the New Territories,” the bureau said. “Their longer waiting time has been taken into account in the latest waiting time.”

Popular districts include Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tung Chung, among other areas. Districts under the separate New Territories category include Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Sheung Shui, Fanling and Tai Po.

The average waiting time for single elderly applicants has increased to 3.9 years, up from 3.7 years in September, and 3.5 years in June.

The bureau stressed that the government was “achieving policy outcomes”, as many applicants with longer waiting times were gradually being housed.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

‘Superman’ Li Ka-shing tops Hong Kong’s billionaire list with US$45.1 billion: Forbes

Tycoon Li Ka-shing has added more than US$6 billion to his net worth, boosting his standing as Hong Kong’s richest individual and contributing to a US$65 billion increase in the assets of the city’s 50 richest people, according to Forbes. Li, whose business interests span real estate, infrastructure and pharmaceuticals via companies such as CK

12 February 2026

John Lee vows ‘systematic framework’ to align Hong Kong with nation’s blueprint

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to establish a “systematic policy framework” to align development goals with mainland China’s 15th five-year plan, aiming to formulate the city’s own blueprint by the end of the year. The chief executive made the remarks during a steering group meeting on Thursday convened to discuss Hong Kong’s

12 February 2026

BYDFi Joins Solana Accelerate APAC at Consensus Hong Kong1

BYDFi Joins Solana Accelerate APAC at Consensus Hong Kong, Expanding Solana Ecosystem Engagement

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global crypto trading platform BYDFi participated as a sponsor of Solana Accelerate APAC at Consensus Hong Kong 2026, held alongside Consensus Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The combined gathering brought founders, institutions, policymakers, and builders together, highlighting Hong Kong’s role as a

12 February 2026

CK Hutchison pursues ‘all legal options’ on Panama ports, invites consultations

Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison has vowed to pursue all available legal options to defend its interests after a Panama court last month nullified its right to operate two ports along the country’s canal, while acknowledging that keeping the operations running is beyond its control. The conglomerate headed by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s family, said

12 February 2026

#legendeats: Where to eat this Valentine’s Day 2026

From Michelin-starred dining to casual neighbourhood fare, here’s where to dine this Valentine’s Day. Stephenie Gee and Tommy Wan report Caprice Nothing says romance more than French cuisine, and three-Michelin-starred Caprice is taking it to the next level. Chef Guillaume Galliot and his team is presenting a six-course menu, thoughtfully crafted as a love letter

12 February 2026

Hong Kong customs seizes HK$2.7 billion of illicit cigarettes as busts jump 36%

Hong Kong authorities recorded a 36 per cent increase in illicit cigarette busts last year, seizing HK$2.7 billion (US$345.4 million) worth of goods, as the customs chief warned of a new tactic of children being used to smuggle tobacco across the border. At a press conference on Thursday to review its work in 2025, the

12 February 2026

Bookings up but bottom lines flat for Hong Kong reunion dinners

Hong Kong restaurateurs expect earnings from family reunion dinners in the lead up to Lunar New Year to either remain stable or decline compared with last year despite an increase in bookings, citing a weak economy and a preference among customers for more affordable menu options. Lee Kwong-hoi, CEO of Star Seafood Restaurant Group, which

12 February 2026

Driver, passenger arrested after BMW hits 3 vehicles in Hong Kong

A driver and his passenger were arrested after their car, which had an expired licence and allegedly contained small amounts of the drug etomidate, hit a police vehicle, a taxi and a bus while attempting to evade officers on a northern Hong Kong road. The crash on Thursday left three people injured including two police

12 February 2026

Number of births in Hong Kong plunges to record low 31,100 in 2025

The number of babies born in Hong Kong plunged to a record low of 31,100 in 2025, while the city’s provisional population estimate rose 0.1 per cent year on year to 7.51 million. The Census and Statistics Department on Thursday also revealed a net inflow of 29,100 Hong Kong residents in 2025. Some 50,000 deaths

12 February 2026

Hong Kong police arrest 3 men over HK$700,000 dried seafood burglary

Hong Kong police have arrested three men on suspicion of burglary after allegedly stealing HK$700,000 (US$89,549) worth of products – including fish maw and shark fin – from a dried seafood shop. Tsang Ka-chun, senior inspector of the Kowloon district crime squad, said on Thursday that the break-in took place on Monday at a ground-floor

12 February 2026

Hong Kong banks’ profit growth slows as rising bad debts offset wealth-management income

Hong Kong’s retail banks posted 7.3 per cent pre-tax profit growth last year, as rising bad debts and a narrower net interest margin offset growing income from wealth-management services. The city’s 30 retail banks recorded lower growth in aggregated pre-tax profit than in 2024, when profits increased 8.4 per cent, according to data from the

12 February 2026

Hong Kong tycoon Joseph Lau’s kin sell Mid-Levels flat for US$12.8 million

The son and former partner of fugitive Hong Kong tycoon Joseph Lau Luen-hung sold a three-bedroom luxury home in the upscale neighbourhood of Mid-Levels for HK$100 million (US$12.8 million), clearing about HK$40 million after holding the property for nearly two decades, according to official filings. The 1,948 sq ft flat on a high floor at

12 February 2026

11.38 million expected to cross Hong Kong borders over Lunar New Year period

About 11.38 million Hong Kong residents and visitors are expected to travel through the city’s border crossings during the Lunar New Year holiday, marking a projected 16 per cent rise from last year. The Immigration Department released the 10-day estimate, covering the period from the 27th day of the last month of the Lunar calendar

12 February 2026

Rat in Don Don Donki sushi chiller sparks outcry over Hong Kong hygiene standards

A video of a live rodent in a sushi display chiller at a branch of the Japanese supermarket chain Don Don Donki in Hong Kong has sparked concerns over food safety and hygiene standards in the city. The footage, posted on the social media platform Threads on Thursday, captured a grey rat scurrying across pre-packed

12 February 2026

MTR Corp urged to probe possible human error after Hong Kong Island line shutdown

Hong Kong’s rail operator has been urged to investigate whether human error was behind the recent 1½-hour partial shutdown of the Island line and to strengthen staff training to prevent similar incidents in the future. Former lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, also ex-MTR Corporation engineer, said on Thursday that the previous day’s disruption was very likely

12 February 2026

Opinion | One-size-fits-all retirement age for civil servants won’t suit Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s pressing demographic challenges demand tailored, well-considered civil service policies. However, the proposal put forward in recent Legislative Council debates on population policy to raise the retirement age for all civil servants to 65 offers no viable solution to these issues. This one-size-fits-all approach overlooks the civil service’s flexible retirement frameworks and works against

12 February 2026

On This Day | 1 runner resuscitated, more hospitalised during 2006 marathon – from the SCMP archive

This article was first published on February 13, 2006. By Andy Cheng and Alvin Sallay Pollution takes its toll on marathon Twenty-two people were sent to hospital yesterday, two remaining in critical condition last night (February 12, 2006), after taking part in Hong Kong’s biggest marathon amid the worst air pollution since September. Many of

12 February 2026

Hong Kong’s ‘Queen of Votes’ ran one of the cheapest Legco races, at HK$20 a vote

Hong Kong’s “Queen of Votes” Christine Fong Kwok-shan ran one of the most cost-effective campaigns in the Legislative Council election, spending an average of just HK$20 per vote, the South China Morning Post has found. An SCMP review of the election spending declarations by 32 candidates who contested directly elected seats also found that some

12 February 2026

Legal Tales | How Hong Kong law deals with the complicated matter of divorce

One of the rewarding aspects about practice at the Hong Kong Bar is that one gets to learn many new things. Conducting litigation well involves delving deep into the relevant facts. We therefore get to learn about different industries and different trust or corporate structures all the time. By the same token, doing divorce cases

12 February 2026

Social workers struggle with stress, ‘indefinite’ duties 2 months after deadly fire

Government social workers supporting survivors of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire are struggling to manage their “indefinite” duties, with poor communication about new initiatives compounding the stress of their already heavy caseloads. Several social workers, including a union leader, told the South China Morning Post that they needed clarity from authorities on their roles

12 February 2026

Average public housing wait time in Hong Kong rises to 5.6 years

Related Article