Hong Kong Housing Department: Comprehensive waiting time for public housing by the end of September remains at 5.1 years, continuing to hold the lowest record since the first quarter of 2018.

The Hong Kong Housing Authority has announced the latest quarter's comprehensive waiting time for public rental housing. As of the end of September this year, the comprehensive waiting time for general applicants (i.e. family applicants and elderly single applicants) in the past 12 months has been maintained at 5.1 years, continuing to be the lowest record since the first quarter of 2018. Compared to the high of 6.1 years before the current government took office, the waiting time has shortened by 1 year. A spokesperson for the Housing Authority stated that in the third quarter of this year, approximately 7,900 general applicants were successfully allocated to traditional public rental housing or interim housing, including around 1,600 new traditional public housing units, around 4,000 reclaimed traditional public housing units, and about 2,300 interim housing units. The Authority pointed out that among the general applicants who were allocated to traditional public housing units, over 85% were allocated units in urban areas or extended urban areas. Due to the waiting time being about 2 years longer in the New Territories, the longer waiting time is factored into the latest comprehensive waiting time for public rental housing. Therefore, despite about 8,000 units being supplied this quarter, the waiting time can only be maintained at 5.1 years, the same as the previous quarter. On the other hand, the waiting time for interim housing units is significantly shorter. Since the first project began allocation for occupancy in the first quarter of this year, the average waiting time for general applicants allocated to interim housing units has only been 3.1 years, playing a key role in shortening the waiting time for public rental housing. The spokesperson stated that they will continue to construct public rental housing and actively promote the remaining interim housing projects. It is estimated that around 9,500 units will be completed and occupied this year, gradually moving towards the goal of completing approximately 30,000 interim housing units by the 2027/28 fiscal year. Additionally, with efforts to accelerate the turnover of public rental housing units through various measures, the number of general applicants waiting for public rental housing is further decreasing. Looking ahead to the five years from the 2026/27 fiscal year, the overall number of public rental housing units (including interim housing) will reach 189,000 units, an increase of about 80% since the current government took office. The goal remains the same to bring down the comprehensive waiting time for public rental housing to 4.5 years by the 2026/27 fiscal year.