Homeowners of the only block undamaged in the deadly Wang Fuk Court inferno who decline the government’s buy-back offer will face significant challenges in the management and maintenance of their properties in the long run, Hong Kong authorities have warned. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Wednesday that while the government respected homeowners’…
Landlords of more than 5,500 subdivided homes in Hong Kong have applied for a three-year grace period to meet size, safety and hygiene requirements following a new law on basic housing standards taking effect six weeks ago. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Saturday that the government had received applications for 5,557 subdivided…
Some Hong Kong residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire remain in limbo as they complained of rude or unhelpful officers on a government outreach team who failed to answer their questions about authorities’ long-term resettlement plan. The 100-strong engagement team, which started operations on March 2 along with an inquiry hotline, was tasked…
Donald Liao Poon-huai, one of Hong Kong’s most influential government architects and public housing visionaries who became the first Chinese official under British rule to serve as secretary for district administration, has died at the age of 96. His death was confirmed to the South China Morning Post by his family on Friday, with one…
Only one landlord in Hong Kong has sought certification approval for subdivided flats since a new law on minimum housing standards took effect about two weeks ago, while applications for a grace period have been submitted for more than 1,100 homes, according to authorities. The Basic Housing Units Ordinance, which took effect on March 1,…
Hongkonger Chan Sai-chiu considers the 60 sq ft subdivided flat he rents to be home, going out of his way to make the cramped space in Sham Shui Po’s ageing Yee Wa Building more liveable by repainting the walls and setting up his own kitchen. The 72-year-old considers the flat’s HK$3,000 (US$383) rent to be…
By noon on Sunday, four days after the fire began, the government’s support fund had grown to HK$1.2 billion (US$153 million), with HK$900 million in public donations and HK$300 million in government grants. The total does not include donations to non-governmental organisations such as the Hong Kong Red Cross. About HK$1 billion was raised in…
Hong Kong’s “top priority” is to resettle residents displaced by the Tai Po fire so they can get through the winter, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has said, as the city’s major monetary and banking authorities roll out measures to ease their immediate financial burdens. On Sunday, Chan highlighted the banking industry’s emergency support measures…
Hong Kong aims to provide 420,000 homes with sufficient land supply over the next decade, maintaining a public-to-private housing ratio of 70:30, according to the latest government projections. This was disclosed as the government released its annual progress report on the long-term housing strategy on Tuesday, revealing it had secured sufficient land to supply 419,100…
Hong Kong Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho attends press conference at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong on Sept 19, 2025. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY) Hastening urban renewal is a major focus of land development initiatives in this year’s Policy Address, as it is moving relatively slowly in Hong Kong due to…