Page 4 - Eng_Land&Housing_Report_2021_summary

The hope to shorten public rental Unlock the short, medium, and long
housing waiting time is still alive term housing supply in tandem,
break through and lay the foundation
As of the end of September 2021, general applicants for public for the future
rental housing have reached 153,700, with an average waiting time
of 5.9 years (Housing Authority, 2021).
Whether it is to fill the past supply gaps in the short term, or to facilitate
After reviewing each of the public and private housing project long-term land development projects such as the Northern Metropolis
expected to be completed between 2026 and 2030, we found that and the Lantau Tomorrow Vision, these efforts may eventually be
approximately 123,000 units are at the later stages of shelved in the endless process of “study after study, consultation after
development and have the potential to be brought forward to consultation” under the current cumbersome development cycle, if the
complete in 2025 or earlier. This involves approximately 22,000 units Government is to continue with business as usual. Hong Kong people
from private housing projects. To accelerate project commencement already live in dire straits, and can no longer bear the endless debates
and construction, we recommend to suitably relax the importation of and excuses. The public urgently needs a clear direction and the
professional labour and streamline the building plan vetting and commitment to the way forward.
approval process. The remaining 101,000 units are from public housing
projects, of which approximately 15,000 units are in the planning and To reverse this situation, the Government must significantly streamline
land administration process. We recommend accelerating the land the current development procedures, clarify supply targets, enhance
resumption and clearing works and proceed with the detailed design high-level steering, and make every effort to shorten the housing
and site formation of the remaining phases of a New Development Area development cycle. There is no better time than now to push for
(NDA) in parallel. The other 86,000 units are in the site formation and reform. We must turn the tide, to overcome the social dilemma of
design process. We recommend to reintroduce the Private Sector largely ignoring the short term supply and losing confidence in the
Participation Scheme (PSPS) and popularise the applications of medium to long term supply.
Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) to enhance construction
efficiency.
If the recommendations in this report are adopted, and if 100,000
public housing units can be completed by 2025, we estimate that
the number of public rental housing general applicants will be
reduced to less than 100,000 by 2026, and the average waiting
time will be reduced to 3.7 years.

Executive Summary 5