Many people think that sub-divided units are mainly located in old grassroots districts such as Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong and Kwai Chung, but they do not know that there are many sub-divided units on Hong Kong Island. Starting from yesterday, the Hong Kong Association of Community Organizations (HKACO) has started accepting applications for the first assembled transitional housing project on Hong Kong Island, the Chai Wan "Hei Yue", which will provide a total of 103 flats and will be ready for occupation in the fourth quarter of this year at the earliest. The Hong Kong Association of Social Service (HKASPD) has found that the grassroots in the Eastern District are under heavy housing pressure, and the median rent for sub-divided units in the district is as high as $52, which is the highest in Hong Kong, and much higher than the median rent for sub-divided units in Hong Kong, which is $42.4. Some tenants in the Eastern District who are not in need of housing share their difficulties in housing and rents during the hot summer months, and hope that they can move into transitional housing or public rental housing (PRH) as soon as possible.
Constructed and operated by the Society for Community Organization (SOCO) with a $56.65 million subsidy from the HKSAR Government, the first transitional housing project on Hong Kong Island, Hei Yue in Chai Wan, offers 102 one-to-two-person flats and one barrier-free flat, with sizes ranging from 169 to 328 square feet, and with a basic tenancy term of at least three years, with priority given to grass-roots sub-divided unit tenants. Priority will be given to grass-roots residents of sub-divided units. 80% of the quota will be allocated to applicants who have been on the Waiting List for public rental housing for at least three years, while the remaining quota will be allocated to applicants who have not yet been on the Waiting List for at least three years or those who are in need of housing.
Yesterday, the HKCSS arranged for the grassroots and the media to visit the demonstration unit at Sha Tau Kok. Ms. Sze Lai-shan, Deputy Director of the Association, disclosed yesterday that the rents of CSSA households in the "Hei Yue" would be set at the ceiling of rent allowance, while the rents of non-CSSA households would be calculated on the basis of 25% of the average household income in the past six months, and it was expected that the median rent of non-CSSA households would range from $14.2 to $23 to ensure affordability.
She also pointed out in the on-site demonstration flats that each flat was equipped with a separate toilet and an open cooking space with oversized windows to ensure good ventilation and lighting, as well as basic renovation and safety equipment such as drying racks, hot water heaters and tiled floors.
At the scene, some tenants who are living in unfavourable housing conditions also shared their bitter experiences. 80-year-old Mr. Poon is now living with his wife in a 70-year-old sub-divided unit in North Point at a monthly rent of $5,300. He applied for public housing last month and is a Category B applicant.
He admits that his chances may be slim among the many Hei Yue applicants, so he hopes that the Government can relax or even abolish the requirement on the ratio of application categories, and replace it with one that depends on the number of applications received. He said that the current basic tenancy period of transitional housing tenants is about two to three years, "for the elderly, moving is a very troublesome thing, I hope the Government can extend the tenancy period, so that we can live in a stable residence, to avoid returning to the poor housing in the."
Mr. Yip, who lives in a store warehouse in Quarry Bay, said he has been unemployed for two years and now lives in a place with only one bedspace, and still pays a monthly rent of $2,000. He told the Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter about the poor living environment he was living in, including the sharing of toilets and kitchens, and the plight of many people who were unwilling to maintain hygiene. In addition, he suffers from insomnia all year round and has been consulting psychiatrists for as long as 10 years, making his life even more difficult. He said that he did not know how to apply for the relevant subsidies and felt powerless to improve his living conditions. However, he hopes to have a comfortable home of his own in Hong Kong in the future.
Citing the latest report of the Census and Statistics Department, Ms. Sze said that the number of households living in sub-divided units in the Eastern District is the highest on Hong Kong Island. The HKCSS collected information on 53 sub-divided units in the Eastern District during the period of 10-16 this month and found that, although the sizes of the sub-divided units in the Eastern District are similar, the median rent for a sub-divided unit for one to two persons is as much as $52, which is much higher than that for other sub-divided units in Hong Kong at about $10. The water and electricity charges for sub-divided units in the district are also higher than those in other districts. She hoped that Hei Yue could help those in need to meet their urgent housing needs.
She also suggested that the Government should relax the current restriction on the acceptance of transitional housing so that more people who have delayed applying for public housing due to various reasons can be accommodated, and incorporate transitional housing into the future Simplified Public Rental Housing (SPRH) so that the rents of the two flats will be on par with each other, thereby further alleviating the burden on tenants.
