Hong Kong Housing Authority and Housing Department

Number of Applications and Average Waiting Time for Public Rental Housing

Number of Applications and Average Waiting Time for Public Rental Housing
Average Waiting Time for Public Rental Housing
Picture : Number of Applications and Average Waiting Time for Public Rental Housing

The number of general applications that were allocated with PRH in the fourth quarter of 2023 was about 5 800, which was even higher than the lately released figure of 3 500 as at the third quarter by about 66%.  However, the latest average waiting time* for PRH could not reflect this progress.  The average waiting time in the fourth quarter of 2023 has increased by 0.2 year to 5.8 years, among which, the average waiting time for elderly one-person applicants has also increased by 0.1 year to 4.0 years.

The increase in the average waiting time in the fourth quarter of 2023 was mainly because the PRH production in 2023 was the lowest in recent years and the impact due to fewer flats available for allocation in the first three quarters of 2023 would continue to be reflected in the average waiting time in the subsequent quarters. Of the 13 700 PRH flats allocated to general applicants in 2023, only about 800 were new PRH flats whereas the remaining 12 900 were refurbished flats.  Given that majority of refurbished flats were located in Urban district and Extended Urban district, and the waiting time of these applicants was generally longer, their longer waiting time would be reflected in the latest average waiting time when they were housed.  As a result, the average waiting time in the subsequent quarters would increase.

In addition, as “Aggressive Construction Company Limited” was involved in a fatal industrial accident in September 2022, tower crane operations at the relevant PRH construction projects had been suspended for inspection, causing delay to the relevant projects.  Amongst these projects, the intake of 819 flats at Lai Yiu Estate in Extended Urban district had been delayed from the third quarter of 2023 in the original estimated programme to the fourth quarter of 2023.  This delay had further increased the waiting time of the general applicants who were housed, thereby pushing up the overall average waiting time for PRH.  

On the other hand, the intake at Fu Tip Estate in the New Territories (6 776 flats) should have taken place in the fourth quarter of 2023 according to the original estimated completion programme.  However, due to the impact of the construction delay, the first-batch intake of Fu Tip Estate will only commence in the first quarter of 2024.  Due to such delay, the relatively shorter waiting time of these applicants for flats in the New Territories could not be reflected in the average waiting time in this quarter.

With the increase in PRH supply in Tuen Mun, Tung Chung and New Territories North in 2024/25, and in Kwun Tong, Kwu Tung North, Fanling North and Sheung Shui, etc in 2025/26 as well as the completion of 30 000 Light Public Housing units starting from early 2025, the overall public housing supply will register obvious increase.  The target of capping the average waiting time at six years remains unchanged and we are also confident that the Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing will drop to 4.5 years in 2026/27.  During this transition period, the Government will continue to develop transitional housing for providing short-term accommodation to those in need (including those on the PRH waiting list).  For the summary of transitional housing projects, please refer to the relevant webpage on the Housing Bureau’s website.

As at end-December 2023, there were about 129 400 general applications for PRH, and about 92 300 non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota and Points System.  In the fourth quarter of 2023, about 5 800 general applicants were housed to PRH; about 1 300 of them were elderly one-person applicants.  On the other hand, about 180 non-elderly one-person applicants under the Quota and Points System were housed to PRH in the same quarter.

*The average waiting time is calculated as the average of the waiting time of those general applicants who were housed to PRH in the past 12 months. Waiting time basically refers to the time taken between registration for PRH and first flat offer, excluding any frozen period during the application period (e.g. when the applicant has not yet fulfilled the residence requirement; the applicant has requested to put his/her application on hold pending arrival of family members for family reunion; the applicant is imprisoned, etc).

Annual Analysis of Average Waiting Time for Public Rental Housing in 2023

To enhance information transparency, the Housing Department has conducted an analysis of the housing situation of general applicants for PRH in 2023.  The analysis shows that in recent years, the number of cases that were housed to flats in the New Territories exceeded those that were housed to flats in Urban district or Extended Urban district.  Hence, the general applicants waiting for flats in the New Territories would be housed more quickly.  Taking applicants who are in the front part of the waiting list as an example, the waiting time for PRH applicants for flats in the New Territories is generally shorter than those for Urban or Extended Urban by a year.

In addition, the number of general applications on the waiting list has reduced by 4 300 as compared with last year.  One of the major reasons was that the number of applications allocated with PRH has increased in recent years.  Over the past two years, there was an annual average of about 20 000 general applications allocated with PRH, which had risen by over 20% from the yearly average of 16 200 in the previous five years (from 2017 to 2021), that has helped clear some of the general applications that had waited for a longer time.

Please click the link below for the relevant document:

The above information only shows the waiting time distribution of general applications allocated with PRH between January 2023 and December 2023.  Past trends are not indicative of the future.  The information only serves as a general reference and should not be used as the basis for projecting the waiting time of individual applications.

Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing

For the new index of “Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing” announced by the Chief Executive in the 2022 Policy Address, please refer to the relevant webpage on the Housing Bureau’s website.

Top