The proposed modular housing project in Tseung Kwan O reflects government housing policy and planning errors

01 view

Written by: Commentary Editing Room

2020-08-28 06:30

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service proposed in May and this month to build transitional housing at three locations in Tseung Kwan O, with a total of 760 units, so that the grassroots can still improve their housing environment while they are waiting for public housing. When the district board members have reservations about the site selection, the reasons listed are not unreasonable. It also reflects that the government has always failed the local residents' expectations of building community facilities.

The three proposed sites are government land at the junction of Po Yap Road and Chi Sin Street in Tseung Kwan O, Po Lam North Road in Tseung Kwan O near Po Lam Fire Station, and two short-term lease sites at the junction of Chi Shin Street in Tong Yin Street. Looking back on history is unavoidable, because the site of Baolin North Road is near the former temporary housing area. Residents believe that the THA was demolished in 2000 and replaced with public housing, which marked the improvement of the living environment. Unexpectedly, after more than two decades, temporary housing will reappear in the area. Even if we believe that the decoration and community support of future modular houses will be better than before, we still have to wait for some time to have a fixed shelter.

At the same time, the HKCSS also suggested building a 3,800-square-meter government, institution or community facility land at the junction of Tong Yin Street and Zhi Shan Street (opposite to Tian Jin 2) for use as transitional housing. Provide about 200 units. (Screenshot of District Council Document)

Three disputes on site selection

Sai Kung District Council members generally disagree with the site selection for three main reasons: the increase in the number of residents, the question of the failure to return the land in time, and the completion of community facilities indefinitely.

Part of the rationale of public opinion representatives may be overwhelming. For each site to add hundreds of people, the additional load on the community is limited. In addition, the HKCSS promised to return the land within five years, and its management also pointed out that seeing the lack of childcare services in the area, it was initially conceived to add related services in the site selection to give tenants the opportunity to participate in community nanny or other voluntary work to support community. This suggestion is very desirable. Outsiders worry that local residents, especially those in private housing estates, may develop a neighborly attitude and resist the grassroots living nearby. If there are NGOs in the middle to build bridges, it can promote social integration.

The government has delayed the residents of the district for ten years. Residents are worried that the combined housing will make the original facilities indefinitely far away. It is understandable that the district councillors and residents have no confidence in the construction of community facilities on schedule. Of the three locations, two were originally scheduled to build community facilities. The site of Bao Yi Road was originally designated as an indoor heated swimming pool in 2014, and the site of Tang Yin Street was designated for cultural and recreational purposes as early as 2005, and later designated as a civic center, public market and complex. There is also the Tseung Kwan O Central Park, which has been under negotiation for a long time, and has been delayed until 2025 at the earliest. To put it bluntly, the government has planned and planned for many years to keep the land in the sun for a long time. The construction of the facilities is now approved. It will take another five years from the start of the construction to the completion before the HKCSS has the opportunity to borrow the land to build modular housing.

The construction of modular housing reflects that the grassroots people cannot live in peace. Even the site selection for modular housing also exposed Hong Kong's planning errors, which not only dissatisfied the 400,000 residents of Tseung Kwan O, but also left the planned land unused for a long time. Government officials in charge of housing and planning must reflect on their mistakes, reform quickly, and speed up the progress of housing planning in order to be worthy of society.

Everyone in Hong Kong is paying for high property prices

The first modular house will be occupied and the road to settle down is still indefinite

The waiting time for public housing has risen to 5 and a half years. Why can Hong Kong live and work in peace?

HKCSS Transitional Housing Tseung Kwan O 01 Viewpoint