Tenants cautiously back idea of subdivided flat purge

An NGO on Sunday said a survey it has carried out suggests the majority of people living in poor housing support the government's goal of ridding the city of low-quality subdivided units, but they're also concerned about where they would move to if it happens. The Caritas Community Development Service said it spoke to 231 tenants of subdivided flats and cubic apartments from December to April, and found that 70 percent think the government should regulate low-quality subdivided flats. But 60 percent said they worry they wouldn't be able to find an affordable home if such a move was taken. "They think that if the government takes the action to regulate subdivided housing, it means that there would be fewer subdivided flats in the urban areas. So they may need to afford a higher rent, and they may not find suitable units," said Kelvin Lee, a social worker with the NGO. The government's Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units has been asked to come up with proposals on minimum living standards for such homes, as well as how those that are substandard can be eradicated altogether. Last week, officials announced that applications for Hong Kong's first batch of light public housing will open from June 24, with 4,400 units available in Yuen Long and Ngau Tau Kok. But Lee said single elderly people are less likely to secure a place under a points system that prioritises families living in poor conditions. The social worker added that building more public housing is the long-term solution to the city's housing crisis. "The government needs to consider using the vacant land reserve to build more public housing, especially in the urban areas, since most of the low-income talents are living in those urban areas, which is near their jobs and schools for the children," Lee said.