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When will the officials sit back and watch the sub-room problem?

2020-12-29T23:13:55.516Z


The Hong Kong government has lagging behind in finding land to build houses, and young people have nowhere to live in the city. "Hong Kong 01" recently reported that a total of 19 people can live in a tenement unit measuring just over 300 feet. Some people’s residences are hidden in boxes.


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Written by: Commentary Editing Room

2020-12-30 07:00

Last update date: 2020-12-30 07:00

The Hong Kong government has lagging behind in finding land to build houses, and young people have nowhere to live in the city.

"Hong Kong 01" recently reported that 19 people can live in a tenement unit of only more than 300 feet. Some people’s residences are hidden in boxes. Three boxes form a row. The 18-foot space is also divided into three. Floor.

Some rehabilitated young people who have been in prison said that the living environment and activity space of the beds are similar to those of prisons.

"Xin Lao" (pseudonym) lived in a bed of only 18 feet. In addition to his "bed", it also hid a table and cabinet.

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

The safety and health of subdivided households are worrying

The disadvantages of sub-divided houses go far beyond the small space.

The environment of some sub-divided units is poor, and the safety and health of residents are not guaranteed.

The poor living environment of the subdivided houses is almost a cliche. The residents are plagued by psyllids and insects. Some subdivided houses have integrated kitchen and toilet, and the sanitary conditions are worrying.

In addition, the lack of fire protection equipment in the sub-districts and the crowded living environment will inevitably lead to accidental casualties.

As early as 2011, the Fa Yuen Street Level 4 fire caused 9 deaths and 34 injuries. However, in the following years, Hong Kong continued to suffer from housing problems. Subdivided houses became more and more serious, and the fire protection problem has not been solved.

The health of the residents is not guaranteed, but a sub-divided house is also expensive. The interviewee once rented a bed at a monthly rent of 2,000.

The cost of housing at the grassroots level in Hong Kong is high. In addition, this year's economy has been hit by the epidemic. Many subdivided households have suffered layoffs and lost their income. They even have to cut back on rent to pay.

There are many grassroots who need to rely on meal coupons in exchange for lunch boxes, or live only on bread and cup noodles, and run for high rents.

Helplessly, the grassroots waited and waited, and a public housing unit appeared to be a distant future.

Inability to negotiate prices

The housing supply in Hong Kong is far from sufficient to meet the demand. The citizens of once were unable to afford the rents of ordinary flats. This has also led to the increase in the price of subdivided housing which can be substantially higher than that of ordinary buildings.

Due to the continuous demand for subdivided housing, residents of subdivided housing also appear unable to negotiate prices in front of the owners. The residents may be overcharged with water and electricity or be forced to evictions unreasonably.

In addition, the increase in basic-level salary generally lags behind the market. Under the influence of slow income growth and several levels of rent jumps, the ratio of rent to income of basic-level households has exceeded the threshold of 30%.

Among them, the Hong Kong Association of Community Organizations conducted a survey of sub-divided households and found that the average living area of ​​a one-person household is only 30 square feet, and the rent has accounted for nearly 45% of their income.

To solve the land problem, the most fundamental thing is to increase land supply and build public housing. However, the government has not been able to solve the problem for many years.

However, the government is still indifferent to the many proposals for rent control and rent allowances advocated by the society.

The grassroots still have to face the sub-house life every day. How to get them out of their plight as soon as possible, or just to reduce the burden of life, is naturally what the government must tackle.

The government should take responsibility for the grass-roots citizens who have suffered from their slack in their administration, from short-term rental subsidies, mid- to long-term transitional housing, rent control, and long-term land resumption and housing construction.

Does the government have the courage to promote housing reform?

|Yu Pinhai

Policy Address | Land and Housing Policy Minor Repairs and Supplements: What about the "dramatic"?

Should rent management be capped at 5%?

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Views of Sub-Room 01

Source: hk1

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