Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the burden on residents after the Housing Bureau estimated the total operating expenditures for 30,000 Light Public Housing (LPH) units in five years would amount to around HK$4.4 billion.
For the current fiscal year, HK$13.54 million has been allocated as operating funding, with an average monthly operating cost standing at approximately HK$1,000 per unit.
During a special meeting of the Legislative Council’s Finance Committee, Vincent Cheng Wing-shun from the DAB said it could be a potential burden for residents to pay HK$1,000 in management fees.
In response, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said the cost mentioned is for operating expenses, which would include cleaning, security, maintenance, and services fees. That would also include the fee for supporting the surrounding facilities like a promenade and a bus stop with four bus routes.
Legislator Scott Leung Man-kwong expressed concern about the proportion of one- to two-person LPH units, which accounted for around 70 percent of the total.
He noted that many subdivided unit residents may not be composed of one or two persons but rather a household of three. However, only 20 percent of the units are for three to four-person households, with the remaining 10 percent being four to five-person units.
The housing chief stated that based on the transitional housing data, there may be a higher demand for larger units in urban areas, while smaller units are in higher demand in the New Territories.
She said the authorities have planned to allocate more small LPH units in the New Territories and large units in urban areas.
Hong Kong United Times丨香港聯合時報丨HKUT 