Why are some Hong Kong subdivided housing tenants turning down temporary flats?

Wong Chi-kong, 77, pays HK$2,800 (US$360) a month for a 40 sq ft living space in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po, sleeping in a bunk bed next to a toilet and having to dine out due to a lack of cooking facilities.

When the Housing Bureau offered him a 150 sq ft transitional housing flat near Kam Sheung Road in Yuen Long, he turned it down because the estate was too far out and hard to reach.

“I tried visiting the neighbourhood twice, but the taxi driver couldn’t even find it because it was so remote. If I am hungry at night, there are no restaurants nearby,” he said.

Wong is now joining other subdivided flat tenants in calling for authorities to offer better resettlement packages that suit residents’ needs.

The Society for Community Organisation (SoCO) on Sunday echoed the call and urged authorities to introduce stricter regulations targeting low-quality housing ahead of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address on October 16.

Social welfare lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen said housing authorities should also set up a task force of social workers to support subdivided flat tenants during the stressful process of relocating.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Hong Kong students as young as 6 should ‘feel proud to be Chinese’: learning guide

Hong Kong students as young as 6 should ‘feel proud to be Chinese’: learning guide

Hong Kong authorities expect students as young as six to “feel proud to be Chinese” and to have a basic understanding of national affairs, according to a revamped guide on values education stressing patriotism. The 2026 Values Education Curriculum Framework, published by the Education Bureau on Thursday, applies to all government, aided, special and private

16 April 2026
Hong Kong leader John Lee, EU officials meet to discuss trade, cooperation

Hong Kong leader John Lee, EU officials meet to discuss trade, cooperation

Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has met European Union representatives to discuss opportunities for cooperation, with the chief executive saying both sides highlighted a shared belief in multilateralism amid increasing tensions and market turmoil. Ambassador Harvey Rouse, head of the EU Office in Hong Kong, called for both sides to work together, describing the

16 April 2026
Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets city’s leaders in capital

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs meets city’s leaders in capital

Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has met the city’s No 2 official and finance chief in the capital to discuss alignment with the national 15th five-year plan, as the city government prepares to draw up its own inaugural blueprint by the end of the year. The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs

16 April 2026
Hong Kong government forks out two-thirds of HK$90 million tab for HK$2 fare revamp

Hong Kong government forks out two-thirds of HK$90 million tab for HK$2 fare revamp

The revamp to Hong Kong’s HK$2 (26 US cents) transport fare concession scheme for the elderly and disabled carried a HK$90 million price tag, with the government paying two-thirds, a Legislative Council finance committee paper revealed on Wednesday. It also showed that about 220 beneficiaries averaged more than 240 trips a month – equivalent to

16 April 2026
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority bars all contractors’ access to data after leak

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority bars all contractors’ access to data after leak

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has suspended all contractors’ access to patient data after a major leak affecting more than 56,000 patients, and is considering barring the company involved from bidding for future projects. But the authority on Thursday declined to say whether it would terminate the firm’s existing contracts or discipline any staff, citing an

16 April 2026
Ex-lawmaker convicted in Hong Kong 47 trial struck off medical register

Ex-lawmaker convicted in Hong Kong 47 trial struck off medical register

A former lawmaker and doctor who was previously imprisoned for conspiracy to commit subversion has been struck off Hong Kong’s register of medical practitioners, becoming the first national security-related disciplinary case to involve the profession. In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the Medical Council ordered that specialist urologist Dr Kwok Ka-ki, 64, be removed

16 April 2026
Give officials more power to probe suspected animal cruelty cases: watchdog

Give officials more power to probe suspected animal cruelty cases: watchdog

Hong Kong’s ombudsman has urged the government to empower conservation officers to enter people’s homes to investigate suspected animal cruelty cases, describing existing procedures as “ineffective” with less than 1 per cent of reported cases resulting in prosecutions. A report released on Thursday on the Office of the Ombudsman’s latest direct investigation operation also called

16 April 2026
Celebrating science and nature

Celebrating science and nature

A visitor looks at an exhibit at the Hong Kong Science Museum on April 16, 2026. (ADAM LAM / CHINA DAILY) The Hong Kong Science Museum unveiled two special exhibitions on Thursday in celebration of its 35th anniversary. The first exhibition, titled Hong Kong Science Museum 35th Anniversary Exhibition, offers a retrospective look at the

16 April 2026
Owner of luxury Hong Kong home fined HK$110,000 over illegal structures, pool

Owner of luxury Hong Kong home fined HK$110,000 over illegal structures, pool

The owner of a luxury home at a seaside estate in Hong Kong has been fined HK$110,000 (US$14,039) for building illegal structures and a swimming pool following a government crackdown triggered by a record-breaking rainstorm and an investigation by the South China Morning Post. Sunset Boulevard Company, which owns House No 76 at Redhill Peninsula,

16 April 2026
Hong Kong police arrest 5 over shoplifting syndicate targeting Muji stores

Hong Kong police arrest 5 over shoplifting syndicate targeting Muji stores

Hong Kong police have arrested five people accused of stealing more than 445 items of clothing worth HK$113,000 (US$14,400) from multiple outlets of Japanese retail chain Muji. Officers from Yau Tsim police district said they had received a string of shoplifting reports since earlier this year that involved large quantities of apparel taken from a

16 April 2026
Management Team representing the company's launch of the New Region China Fund for professional investors.

Leveraging 50 Years of Hong Kong Heritage to Seize Greater China Opportunities for Professional Investors

HONG KONG, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With over 50 years of deep-rooted history in Hong Kong, New Region Group officially launched its brand-new “New Region China Fund” in February 2026. Designed exclusively for professional investors, the fund provides specialized access to investment opportunities across the Greater China market. Management Team representing the company’s launch

16 April 2026
Rise in mental illness cases among Hong Kong students ‘reflects growing openness’

Rise in mental illness cases among Hong Kong students ‘reflects growing openness’

Hong Kong’s education minister has said the surge in students diagnosed with mental illness partly reflects parents’ growing acceptance and openness about the issue, while academic pressures, social lives and physical health also play a role. The remarks by Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin came after the Education Bureau revealed that the number of

16 April 2026
China's 2026 Tariff Schedule Targets High-Tech, Healthcare Sectors

Hong Kong Profits Tax Return 2026: Essential Updates for Companies

The Hong Kong Profits Tax Return 2026 marks a turning point as the IRD pushes toward full digital filing. With e‑filing requirements, iXBRL reporting for qualifying MNEs, and new compliance expectations, companies need to understand what’s changing and how to prepare ahead of the deadlines. On April 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) issued

16 April 2026
We failed to check if workers smoked at Wang Fuk Court, firms tell fire hearing

We failed to check if workers smoked at Wang Fuk Court, firms tell fire hearing

Two renovation subcontractors involved in a HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) project at a Hong Kong subsidised estate ravaged by the city’s deadliest fire in decades have conceded they did not regulate workers’ smoking behaviour before the inferno. The two engineering firms on Thursday also told an independent committee that they had partially replaced fireproof windows

16 April 2026
Macau finance minister steps down for ‘personal reasons’

Macau finance minister steps down for ‘personal reasons’

Macau’s finance minister has resigned over “personal reasons,” prompting the city’s chief executive to temporarily assume his duties until a new candidate is appointed. The cabinet change took effect on Thursday after China’s State Council approved the removal of Tai Kin-ip from the post of secretary for economy and finance, in accordance with Macau’s Basic

16 April 2026
Hong Kong reports 99% participation of young 2019 protest convicts in rehab project

Hong Kong reports 99% participation of young 2019 protest convicts in rehab project

Nearly 1,800 young Hongkongers convicted of protest and national security-related offences have taken part in a rehabilitation programme, authorities have said, including 99 per cent of those found guilty over the 2019 unrest, up from 63 per cent in 2021. Responding to a question from lawmaker Chan Hok-fung, the Security Bureau said that 1,768 inmates

16 April 2026
RADII talks about Longman Leung's Hong Kong film Cold War 1995 starring Chow Yun-fat, Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Daniel Wu, Terrance Lau, Wu Kang-ren, Louis Koo, Tse Kwan-ho, Louise Wong, and Fish Liew.

What is With This Insane Cast for HK’s Iconic Crime Franchise ‘Cold War 1994’?

Hong Kong legends return for the highly anticipated prequel, Cold War 1994, which will take us back to the origins of the acclaimed crime-thriller franchise. Directed by Longman Leung (Helios 2015; Anita 2021), this new installment plunges into the gritty underworld preceding the high-stakes political intrigue and police procedural drama that define the Cold War

16 April 2026
Danish director brings “The Liar” to Hong Kong

Danish director brings “The Liar” to Hong Kong

Danish director Tua Biering brings interactive play “The Liar” to Hong Kong’s Tai Kwun with actor Tai Yin Chan. Danish director Tua Biering is bringing a new theatre production to Hong Kong in collaboration with local actor Tai Yin Chan. The performance, titled “The Liar”, explores themes of truth, misinformation and audience perception. The production will

16 April 2026
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x