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Hong Kong's government is facing criticism over its $3.4 billion temporary housing plan aimed at easing the city's chronic housing shortage. While the financial hub has long battled with sky-high house prices, its housing crisis has been further exacerbated in recent years, with many people living in cramped sub-divided flats and 'cage' homes.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive, John Lee, pledged to construct 30,000 units of 'Light Public Housing' within five years, with the hope of reducing the waiting time for public housing from six years to four and a half years. However, critics have slammed the scheme as a 'band-aid solution' and have questioned its high cost.
The temporary housing units, which are prefabricated and use modular construction methods, are intended to be dismantled after five years when their occupancy permits expire. While Lee's initiative has been welcomed by many, the price-tag for each unit is roughly equivalent to the cost of permanent public housing. Critics argue that this means the scheme does little to address the underlying issues associated with Hong Kong's housing crisis.
The backlash over the temporary housing plan is a significant challenge for Lee after Beijing identified unaffordable housing as a key factor behind the discontent that fuelled the city's anti-government protests in 2019. President Xi Jinping has called for a "better life, a bigger flat" for Hong Kong's people, many of whom are living in sub-standard accommodation.
The scheme has also been criticized for its proposed location. Some of the planned sites are in faraway urban areas, making the homes inaccessible to many people. Critics have pointed out that the government's plan is experimental and does little to address the underlying issue of the city's longstanding housing crisis, with over 200,000 people currently living in subdivided flats.
According to a government report, 1.65 million people, or 23.6% of Hong Kong's total population, live in poverty. In comparison, the city is home to around 434,000 millionaires. The Light Public Housing scheme aims to provide affordable accommodation, with monthly rents significantly below the current median of HK$5,000 for sub-divided flats.
While the government scheme has been approved by lawmakers, some of the proposed sites have faced significant opposition, with concerns that the housing units will place additional pressure on already burdened facilities and transport networks. Some residents in the affected areas have threatened to protest against the scheme, which would present a significant challenge for the government. Critics of the scheme argue that it is part of a larger problem and that the government should focus on developing a more sustainable long-term solution to Hong Kong's housing crisis.
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