Housing Policy
-
Stagnation in the Subsidised Housing Resale Market — Buying and Selling Restrictions Must Be Significantly Eased
Hong Kong’s subsidised housing resale market turned over at just 1% in 2024 — barely half the private market’s 2.2%. The authors argue the Government must urgently relax secondary-market quotas and launch a ‘flat-for-flat’ exchange scheme to rebuild the public-to-private housing ladder.
-
Severe Shortage of Subsidised Housing Distorts Social Development — A Major Expansion is Needed
Hong Kong’s housing policy should not be driven by the public rental housing wait alone. The authors argue the subsidised housing shortage is far more severe and has misled society into a ‘public housing above all’ mindset, and call for a major expansion of subsidised housing and deeper housing reform.
-
Phasing Out the Cash Allowance Trial Scheme Is the Right Call — On the Necessity of Subsidy Transition from the Perspective of Economic Theory
The HKSAR Government has decided to end its Cash Allowance Trial Scheme for public-housing waitlist applicants on 30 June 2025. Drawing on George Akerlof’s economic theory and the realities of Hong Kong’s housing policy, the authors argue that in-kind assistance — transitional housing and Simple Public Housing — now offers a more precise and more generous way to help those most urgently in need.
-
Will Public Housing Reform Undermine the Private Housing Market?
Will expanding subsidised-sale housing crash the private market? Using economic theory and empirical data, the authors argue that fears of a price collapse from public housing reform are overblown — and that reform will likely increase both supply and demand.
-
How Hong Kong can Reimagine its Greatest Asset: People’s Homes
Hong Kong’s land-sale and stamp-duty revenues have collapsed. Selling public rental housing units to tenants may be a better alternative than tax hikes or spending cuts.
-
Well-off Tenants Policy Reform Is a Major Step Forward for People’s Livelihoods
The Housing Authority’s reform of the Well-off Tenants Policy marks a major step forward in addressing Hong Kong’s public-housing misallocation and the subdivided-flats crisis. The authors urge the Government to continue refining the policy — reviewing the rent-to-income ratio biennially and further tailoring the rent ladder for different income groups.
-
Hong Kong Economy Faces Long-term Recession — Housing Policy Needs Comprehensive Reform (Part 2)
The authors argue that Hong Kong’s record-breaking prolonged economic downturn is closely tied to deep-seated flaws in housing policy, and that only a bold, systematic, decade-long reform blueprint — built around home ownership for all — can break the impasse.
-
Hong Kong’s Economy Faces Long-term Recession — Housing Policy Needs Comprehensive Reform (Part 1)
Hong Kong is enduring its longest economic contraction on record. The authors trace its root cause to the 2002 ‘Suen Nine Measures’ and argue that comprehensive housing reform is the key to economic recovery.
-
Well-off Tenant Rents Are Far Too Low — Adjustment Is Essential
Hong Kong’s well-off tenant policy lets high-income public housing tenants occupy scarce units at rents as low as 3–5% of their income, far below overseas norms. The data show the proposed reform is fair, modest, and urgently needed to shorten public rental housing wait times and curb the proliferation of subdivided flats.
-
To Say Goodbye to Subdivided Flats, We Must Never Regulate Starting Rents
Drawing on San Francisco’s experience and Hong Kong’s own history of rent control, the authors argue that regulating starting rents would worsen the subdivided-flat crisis rather than solve it. They propose instead tightening the Well-Off Tenant Policy, expanding the Unpaid-Premium Rental Scheme, and boosting Category B transitional housing to ease the plight of subdivided-flat residents.
-
Hong Kong’s Economic Recovery Hinges on Having Enough Adequate Housing
High rents deter talent and investment despite R&D subsidies. The article calls for rapid housing supply expansion, rezoning, and public-housing reform.
-
Hong Kong must Stop Letting the Well-Off Hog Public Rental Housing
Generous income limits and rent subsidies mean well-off households are occupying public housing, forcing the poor to rent from the cutthroat private market. This needs to change.
