01 view
Written by: Commentary Editing Room
2020-12-18 07:00
Last update date: 2020-12-18 07:00
Since the establishment of the Transport and Housing Bureau in 2007, there have been endless doubts.
The reorganization of the transportation and housing planning framework will help improve the governance process. However, the government has again recently refused to split the Transportation and Housing Bureau. Secretary Chen Fan must continue to take care of Hong Kong's two hot potatoes.
The government's vision should not only look at administrative benefits, but more importantly, in terms of housing transportation policies, Hong Kong people can make good use of transportation while meeting their housing and living needs.
If the government is not guided by the fact that the two policies are in the same situation, the policy objectives are not changed, and it will not help to dismantle the bureau and stay in the bureau.
Chief Secretary for Administration Zhang Jianzong responded to Legislative Council Member Yi Zhiming's question on Wednesday (17th), saying that the government is open in principle to changing the government structure, but the top priority is to control the new crown epidemic. After the epidemic, the economy must be revitalized, which means It is difficult to split the Transportation and Housing Bureau within the current government.
The Liberal Party Yi Zhiming is dissatisfied that Zhang Jianzong has not formally responded to the issue of "dismantling the bureau.
Zhang Jianzong later stated that the government had not forgotten its promise to "dismantle the bureau," but it took time to "dismantle the bureau."
(Profile picture)
The demolition of transport houses is justified
In fact, the combination of transportation and housing has never been favored, and the former Chief Executive Donald Tsang can be said to be the "initiator."
After he was elected as Chief Executive in 2007, he reorganized the Policy Bureau. The official statement is that the reorganization will make the powers and responsibilities of the bureau directors evenly distributed. For example, if the housing is merged into the Development Bureau, the latter will have too much work.
The political circles were puzzled by this and directly criticized "nine don't take eight."
Over the past five years, the Transport and Housing Bureau has become one of the most arduous policy bureaus. It has to prepare for the construction of high-speed rail and multiple MTR lines. Property prices have soared and public housing shortages have caused public complaints.
When Liang Zhenying took over as the chief executive, he proposed to establish the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau and the Transport and Works Bureau. However, due to the binding of the Cultural Bureau and the addition of deputy directors, the executive and legislative bodies refused to give in. Discussions continued to be politicized. The government in October 2012 Set aside reorganization.
Carrie Lam proposed to dismantle the bureau in the 2017 Chief Executive's campaign platform, highlighting the importance of the shipping and air transportation industries; at the same time, it merged the housing and land categories.
However, even though members of Congress and the media have repeatedly asked about the development of the Transport and Housing Bureau, the current government has not dismantled the Bureau on the grounds of giving priority to other policies.
From an administrative point of view, it is natural that houses belong to the land planning department. Although the departments should cooperate seamlessly and cannot be hindered by the structure, the same policy bureau handles land search and housing construction. Information is believed to be more circulated, communication is believed to be closer, and reorganization is believed The Policy Bureau will help implement land and housing policies.
When Lin Zheng was asked about the spin-off of the Transport and Housing Bureau in July 2018, she emphasized that there is no such plan at all for the time being. She also pointed out that many tasks in front of him are "forced to do" and do not want to be distracted by the reorganization of the structure. This complex task will be launched in a short time.
(Profile picture/Photo by Zhang Haowei)
Two-in-one is not useless, but officials waste opportunities
Having said that, the transport house family is not without practical benefits. If the two areas can be "organically combined", then the "equitable transit-oriented development" (equitable transit-oriented development, eTOD) can be implemented.
This is an evolution from the traditional TOD urban planning concept. TOD mixes residential, commercial and public transportation facilities. The construction is high-density, multi-functional, and the facilities are interconnected to facilitate the flow of people.
Hong Kong can be said to be a leader in TOD.
Railways and buses drive residential and commercial development. MTR’s "rail plus property" development model is often cited by MTR and foreign scholars, demonstrating that the construction of railways is not a loss of business, but a project that brings stable flow of people and huge profits to the railway sector. , It can also increase the value of surrounding land and properties.
More importantly, this model already existed when the British Hong Kong government, transportation and housing departments started operations.
So how to convince the public of the benefits of Yunfang Family?
It is true that when TOD is practiced in Hong Kong and around the world, its disadvantages have gradually emerged.
The most obvious example is the gentrification, because of the convenient transportation and prosperous residential and commercial activities nearby.
Cheap houses and shops for people's livelihood have been replaced by expensive buildings and shops, and the poor have to either move out or cut down on food and clothing.
After the middle- and lower-class people move out of the urban area, their commuting time increases, making it more difficult to access social services and finding jobs. In the long run, this will widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
In Hong Kong, many new MTR stations have built private buildings above and in the vicinity, and TOD has the tendency to become a preferential treatment for the upper middle class.
Therefore, foreign think tanks and groups advocate eTOD, emphasizing that everyone should enjoy the benefits of TOD when planning, especially to narrow the distance between all classes and income groups, and building affordable housing is an effective method.
In September this year, the Chicago City Government of the United States announced the first local eTOD policy plan, becoming a pioneer in the world.
The "01 Initiative" has always advocated changing the "railway plus property development" model, and using part of the relevant lots for the construction of public housing.
(Profile picture)
It is more important to clarify the idea
Since the government is aware of the lack of public housing construction, it can use the institutional advantages of the same department of transport housing and the influence of the Secretary as the director of the MTR to request the MTR to reduce the travel burden of the middle and lower classes, and even allow the land to build more subsidized housing to supervise Hong Kong. Tie must not take advantage of words.
The problem is that several directors of the Bureau for Transportation and Housing have also settled down as bystanders on the MTR, allowing the MTR to take the lead in housing and property planning. Even if the MTR has recently obtained consent to build subsidized housing on the future Siu Ho Wan Depot, I believe it will not Including public rental housing, it is only a drop in the bucket for solving the housing problem.
Obviously, the transport housing category of the Transport and Housing Bureau has been independent from this to the end, and has not explored the advantages of the system.
With the intention of not being afraid of delay, the current eTOD planning proposal adopted by the Transport and Housing Bureau can still benefit the society.
The government has successively invited MTR to carry out detailed planning and design for the Tuen Mun South Extension Line and Northern Link Project. The Bureau can urge the MTR to promote social inclusiveness, mutual assistance among neighbors, and compatibility of residences and occupations when constructing railway stations. Housing must be as everyone as possible. Affordable.
Even if the Transport and Housing Bureau is split up in the future and the house is included in the Development Bureau, the concept of eTOD will continue.
Policy Address | To see the surface of the problem, we must see the root cause of the problem
Policy Address | Hong Kong needs a third CBD to expand urban development space
Where can the North Ring Road lead the citizens?
Chen Fan Political Platform 01 Viewpoint of the Transport and Housing Bureau