Hong Kong’s subdivided units should be a minimum of 100 square feet – or 9.3 square metres – a surveyors’ group has recommended to a government taskforce studying the city’s long-standing housing issue.
In a press conference on Friday, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) raised a number of suggestions for improving conditions in subdivided units, ranging from living space to fire safety requirements.
The net area of subdivided flats should be no smaller than 100 square feet including the kitchen and bathroom, the group said. Around 20,000 to 30,000 currently live in subdivided dwellings smaller than that size, according to the HKIS.
According to the government’s 2021 population census report, the median floor area of subdivided units was 118.4 square foot, or 11 square metres.
The recommended minimum size is a “moderate” standard, the group said, adding that – if the standard were set too high – many subdivided flat residents would lose their home. The HKIS estimated that around 30 per cent of subdivided units in the city are smaller than 100 square feet.
Subdivided flats should also not have combined bathrooms and kitchens, the group continued.
The HKIS’ suggestions were made to the government’s Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units, which Chief Executive John Lee announced the establishment of during his Policy Address last October. According to the Housing Bureau, the taskforce is “conducting an in-depth study” on subdivided units and is expected to deliver recommendations for improving their living conditions, safety and hygiene in subdivided flats in August.
Taking into account fire safety, the HKIS said the shared corridors and front door of subdivided units should be at least 85 centimetres wide. Shared corridors should also be no less than two metres in height, the group added.
Landlords should also be responsible for arranging registered contractors to conduct annual inspections and maintenance of fire safety once a year, the HKIS said.
Housing crisis
Around 215,700 people live in subdivided flats in Hong Kong, where a housing market known for exorbitant prices leaves few options for the city’s low-income households. NGOs have long called attention to the cramped living spaces and safety hazards in subdivided units, which are often carved out of flats in old tenement buildings.
Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po, home to a concentration of low-income neighbourhoods, have the most number of subdivided flats across the city’s 18 districts.
The city introduced new laws in January 2022 aimed at improving conditions in subdivided flats and cracking down on landlords said to abuse tenancy agreements. Under amendments made to the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance, landlords of subdivided flats are not allowed to raise the rent within a two-year period. The regulations also criminalise overcharging utilities.
Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said last month that authorities had identified 3,091 cases of suspected breaches of the ordinance. Only 169 landlords of subdivided units were prosecuted, however, with fines ranging from HK$500 to HK$18,600.
In 549 of the 3,000-odd cases, prosecution “was not warranted due to insufficient evidence upon completion of investigation,” Ho added.
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hong Kong in July 2022, the leader called on the city to “earnestly address people’s concerns and difficulties in daily life,” in particular housing.
Lee announced months later, in his first Policy Address as chief executive, that the city would build transitional housing flats for families waiting for public rental housing.
Described by the government as a “breakthrough” initiative, Light Public Housing will provide 30,000 units. The first 2,100 units in a project in Yuen Long is expected to be ready in the first quarter of next year.
