editorial
Written by: Hong Kong 01
2021-03-29 06:00
Last update date: 2021-03-29 06:00
The "Subdivided Housing" Rent Control Research Working Group established in April last year held its last meeting last Wednesday (March 24). It is reported that the final report will recommend that the government refer to the existing statistical index to regulate "Subdivided Housing". The basis of the rent is to limit the maximum rent increase of 15% when the landlord negotiates for renewal every two years, prohibit the landlord from overcharging water, electricity or other miscellaneous expenses, and allow existing tenants to rent for at least four consecutive years.
However, with regard to the recommendations of non-governmental organizations requesting the establishment of standard initial rents and special arbitration and monitoring mechanisms, this working group that has been criticized from the beginning does not include tenant representative members does not seem to have responded positively, which naturally makes people question whether the group and the government are genuine Intentions to improve the treatment of "subdivided housing" residents.
The so-called "subdivided housing" generally refers to the separation of individual originally independent building units into two or more rooms through renovation works such as partition walls.
According to the results of the Census and Statistics Department’s past thematic household surveys and the mid-term demographic statistics, in 2014, there were approximately 85,500 households living in 24,600 sub-units in Hong Kong. In 2015, the number increased to 87,600 households and 25,200 units. It further increased to 92,700 households and 27,100 units. However, the authorities stopped performing relevant statistics and continued to estimate the number of "subdivided housing" households based on the above three-year development trend. The latest figure is that there are an estimated 99,400 households living in sub-divided flats in 2020. .
This shows that the problem of "subdivided housing" in Hong Kong has been expanding in recent years, and the Hong Kong government has admitted that this situation does exist.
To be fair, in Hong Kong, an economically developed society, the emergence of many "subdivided housing" is itself extremely unreasonable.
Residents not only need to pay the price per square foot of a luxury home to rent a narrow space to live in, but their health, life and property safety are threatened, but they also have to bear the risk of being driven out by the owner at any time or suddenly breaking the contract. In order to avoid paying property tax, stamp duty, and the Buildings Department's investigation of illegal construction works, some "subdivided housing" owners will deliberately refrain from printing them.
Regarding this kind of unfair and illegal rental arrangement, the authorities should strictly regulate or even ban it. However, the Hong Kong government and the entire society have acquiesced to this situation for many years, which in itself reflects Hong Kong housing. Distorted situation that people can afford.
The problem of "subdivided housing" in Hong Kong has been expanding in recent years, and the Hong Kong government has admitted that this situation does exist.
(Profile picture)
Subdivided housing should not be regulated and should be more rigorous
It must be emphasized that the content of the report of the "Subdivided Housing" Rent Control Working Group does not equate to the actual drafting of laws and the direction of supervision in the future. The Hong Kong government can choose to follow or ignore the opinions of the group and adjust the severity of relevant regulatory measures.
For example, although this report is reported to indicate that subdivision units located in industrial buildings or rooftop houses should be included in the scope of rent control like ordinary private buildings, the definition of "subdivided housing" that controls this point is left to the drafting of regulations by the Department of Justice Make the decision when time is over.
Moreover, even after smooth legislation, how to enforce the law in the future is still the responsibility of the government. After all, if the penalties are not sufficiently deterrent or follow-up active investigation work is lacking, any regulatory policy may only become a dead letter.
In particular, for the “subdivided houses” of industrial buildings that clearly violate the terms of the land lease, the relevant departments must strengthen inspection personnel, strictly implement various “fixed lease” warnings, fines and prohibition of transfer enforcement measures, and be able to comply with the “Government Land Rights (Re-acquisition) And Vesting Remedies) Ordinance to confiscate the ownership of the unit involved.
In addition, for buildings where a large proportion of units are divided into "subdivided houses" and leased to people, the government can even consider it before protecting the due rights and reasonable compensation of the owners and tenants of other legal units in the same building. With reference to the current compulsory auction mechanism or the "facilitator" model under the Urban Renewal Strategy, a set of policies for the rapid repurchase and conversion of such buildings into temporary housing are formulated specifically to improve the rectification of the "subdivided housing" problem in Hong Kong s efficiency.
Residents who have rented sub-divided houses said that the living environment of sub-divided houses is poor, and the landlords have increased their rents due to the epidemic, which has caused huge economic pressure on the basic tenants.
(Information Picture/Photo by Huang Shuhui)
The problem of real estate is difficult to solve due to official lax
Having said that, the number of "subdivided housing" households in Hong Kong is increasing, and it is inseparable from the fallacy of the Hong Kong government's initial policy.
The reason why people choose "subdivided housing" units with extremely harsh living conditions but relatively cheap overall rents is either because their income level is low and they are waiting for public housing units, or they plan to save expenses and save the initial payment. In fact, the above two situations can be said to be caused by the administrative mistakes of the previous governments. The officials in charge have failed to build office camps, allow private housing prices to continue to rise, and even take the lead in advocating the "home ownership ladder", and even personally participate in the speculation of private housing and private housing. The ranks of subdivided rentals...It is because of this series of wrong and wrong housing policies behind that the problem of "subdivided housing" in Hong Kong has become so serious today.
Ten years ago, when the Chief Executive Carrie Lam was still the Secretary for Development, there happened to be many fire accidents in "subdivided housing" units in Hong Kong. Later, she faced a question in the Legislative Council whether she would speed up the letting of "subdivided housing" residents. When he was allocated a public housing unit, he dared to reply without shame: "The authorities must avoid causing unfairness to the 155,000 applicant families on the current public housing waiting list. They must also be careful to prevent other problems, such as encouraging people to live in "subdivided housing." 』, making the problem worse.” Ironically, the number of applications on the waiting list for public housing has now become 253,400, which is a sharp increase of nearly two-thirds. On the other hand, all the “subdivided housing” households in Hong Kong have The unabated growth proves that Carrie Lam's remarks back then are pure nonsense. In the final analysis, it is just an excuse for the government's negligence.
Today, everyone can clearly see that the housing and land shortages that have been formed over the years have become an urgent matter. Many senior officials and civil servants have maintained the bad habit of "sighing slow", and they don't even think about the citizens who are in dire straits. For example, the Hong Kong Government has long promised to complete the review of the ten private lands planned for high-density development within 2020 to develop public housing. However, on the same day that the "Subdivided Housing" Rent Management Working Group met, the Secretary for Development, Wong Wai Lun, asked Members of the Legislative Council actually stated that "the relevant inspections are nearing completion and the inspection results will be announced in due course." Other similar tasks, such as inspections of "brownfield" uses with medium development potential, are also similar, showing that the Hong Kong government is not going as planned. Reaching the standard is regarded as one thing, from which we can see how contemptuous they are to solve the real estate problem.
Secretary for Development Wong Wai Lun.
(Profile picture)
Housing problem must be solved after political rectification
Coincidentally, Chief Secretary for Administration Zhang Jianzong was interviewed by the Financial Times earlier. The newspaper published a report quoting him as saying that "Beijing instructs the local government to focus on the interests of "grassroots" and low-income workers." "It is clear that we must face difficulties. The problem is housing, land, the disparity between the rich and the poor, and so on.” Afterwards, the Hong Kong government was anxious to issue a document clarifying that the above issues were within the scope of the SAR's high degree of autonomy, and denied that Zhang Jianzong had said that the central government "instructed" Hong Kong to handle related affairs.
Although the main intention of this move is estimated to be to emphasize that "one country, two systems" is still operating smoothly, and does not want to give foreign investors any perception that may undermine the image of "Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong", its objective effect will inevitably make the public feel that the Hong Kong government is still evasive. Responsibility for these problems.
Moreover, it is an indisputable fact that some state leaders are concerned about the housing problem in Hong Kong.
When Vice Premier Han Zheng of the State Council met with representatives of the People’s Congress of Hong Kong during the National "Two Sessions", he pointed out with earnest words: "Hong Kong’s housing problem has Hong Kong’s history and Hong Kong’s development process. It is very difficult to solve this problem, but there must be a beginning. When it comes to the solution. If it continues to be this way, there is no consensus, no solution (solution), as long as there is a solution, the Legislative Council will be in the process of mobilizing, and it will ultimately harm the interests of the people of Hong Kong.” This is not the case. It can and should not be regarded as the Central Government’s "instruction" to interfere in the autonomy of the SAR. However, it undoubtedly reflects the Central Government’s determination that Hong Kong’s housing problems are serious, and the improvement of the electoral system to eliminate "rabbits" and other problems will help the Hong Kong Government. Focus on solving this deep-seated contradiction.
As the revised drafts of Annex I and Annex II of the Basic Law are submitted for deliberation at the latest NPC Standing Committee meeting in Beijing from March 29 to 30, the results of the reform of the method for the formation of the Hong Kong Chief Executive and the Legislative Council will also be dusty. It is settled, and after the SAR government and the Legislative Council have completed the amendments to relevant local election laws, it can be said that all obstacles in the parliament that hinder the governance team from dealing with housing, land, and the disparity between the rich and the poor will be removed. Hong Kong government officials cannot Procrastination will be made on the excuse of the opposition MPs' obstructionism or other reasons.
In fact, issues such as "subsidiary housing" have long been severe enough that no delay is allowed. Therefore, regardless of whether there are "instructions" from Beijing behind them, the series of deep-seated economic and social contradictions in Hong Kong must be resolved from now on. There is no room for further neglect.
【01 Weekly News Editorial】The budgetary expenditure is not enough. Accurate financial management still needs to think about what the people think
[01 Weekly News Editorial] Traveling to the water poor is the time for change
[Editorial in the 01 Weekly Report] The Financial Secretary is not an accountant, and the budget must be forward-looking
Please pay attention to the 258th "Hong Kong 01" Weekly News published on March 29, 2021, which is available at major newsstands, OK convenience stores and Vango convenience stores.
You can also
click here to
sample the weekly e-newsletter and read more in-depth reports.
Subdivided Housing Policy Land Supply Land Issues Land Use Land Resumption Regulations 01 Weekly Editorial 01 Weekly 01 Viewpoint