Greater effort needed from rich city in fight against Hong Kong flats’ squalor
- Concern group guidelines on basic living standards are unlikely to have any effect, with thousands of families crammed into subdivided accommodation and a government unwilling to legislate
Who wants to sleep on a sofa, shower next to the laundry and cook above a toilet bowl, all crammed into a shoebox cubicle, but still pay a few thousand dollars a month? Such pitiful living space has no place in an affluent city such as Hong Kong.
Sadly, many poor families have no choice but to dwell in units partitioned inside a standard flat. These so-called subdivided flats are not just inhumane, they are often illegally carved up and pose fire hazards and structural safety risks. But with an estimated tens of thousands of families living in such places across the city, it would be unrealistic to expect a government crackdown overnight.
A concern group has urged the authorities to roll out guidelines on basic living standards, hoping that they will help raise the quality of life in the long run.
The government, for instance, should state the minimum living area per person, along with requirements for windows, private toilets, independent water and electricity supplies. The idea was supported by 90 per cent of the more than 1,000 subdivided households surveyed by the group.
Well intentioned as they are, the proposed guidelines have pros and cons. It is estimated that up to 70 per cent of existing units may be unable to meet requirements, and this would put the government under pressure to step up enforcement action against those who do not comply.
However the reality is that there will not be enough homes for those who are displaced, and tenants in units deemed acceptable may also end up paying higher rents.
Subdivided flats are not totally unregulated at the moment, and there are laws regarding building safety and fire hazards.
Had they been enforced proactively, many such units would have been eliminated. Regrettably, prolonged inaction has resulted in the mushrooming of subdivided flats, mainly catering for low-income families waiting for public housing.
Their prevalence has put the government in a difficult position, and it cannot afford to sit back and do nothing, given many units are potential death traps. But an immediate crackdown will render many people homeless. Since the guidelines will have no legal effect, how can they achieve more than what is required under the law?
Despite a surge in “nano” residential flats in recent years, the government remains non-committal about legislating on a minimum living area. Whether it heeds calls to set out basic living standards at subdivided flats shall have implications on the overall quality of housing in Hong Kong.
It is already a shame that nano flats have become the new normal, even more so if subdivided units are entrenched as a permanent housing option. Whatever the strategy, more efforts are needed to improve living conditions.
