Waiting time for Hong Kong public rental flats climbs to 5.6 years, and figure expected to temporarily rise next year

The Hong Kong government has issued a warning that the average waiting time for a public rental flat is expected to continue rising until the first half of 2024. The latest figure has increased to 5. 6 years, marking the first increase in over a year. The Housing Authority attributes this increase to a decrease in the availability of new public rental homes in recent quarters. Previously, families and elderly applicants could expect to wait approximately 5. 3 years for a flat.

The Housing Authority has also noted that the production of public rental housing this year is at its lowest level in the coming years. This has resulted in most general applicants in the past 12 months being housed in refurbished flats in certain urban areas outside parts of the New Territories. Applicants for these homes are expected to wait about a year longer than those requesting a flat in rural areas, which has contributed to the increase in the figure.

The authority has also warned that the waiting time could further increase in the future, but assures that the situation is under control. They have stated that the public housing supply will increase starting in 2024-25, and the government will also build 30,000 temporary flats in the coming few years. Chief Executive John Lee has pledged to provide these government-built temporary homes.