Hong Kong Housing Authority and Housing Department

As at end-September 2024, the average waiting time* for general applicants who were housed to PRH in the past 12 months has maintained at 5.5 years, among which, the average waiting time for elderly one-person applicants has decreased by 0.2 years to 3.5 years. In the third quarter of 2024, about 3 700 general applicants were housed to PRH, amongst which about 490 of these flats were allocated to elderly one-person applicants. Separately, about 410 non-elderly one-person applicants under the Quota and Points System were housed to PRH in the same quarter.

The average waiting time has maintained at 5.5 years in the third quarter of 2024 was mainly because the relatively shorter waiting time of PRH applicants for flats in the New Territories who were housed to Fu Tip Estate in Tai Po continued to be reflected in the average waiting time in this quarter. In addition, a substantial number of flats were available for allocation to elderly one-person applicants for consecutive quarters, hence the number of elderly one-person applicants who were housed to PRH has increased. Coupled with the fact that most of the elderly one-person applicants who were housed to PRH are those waiting for flats in the New Territories with a relatively shorter waiting time, the average waiting time for elderly one-person applicants has decreased by 0.2 years to 3.5 years.

Notwithstanding that the number of new PRH flats available for allocation in the third quarter of 2024 was less than that in the last quarter, with the enhanced effectiveness of the Housing Department’s in combating tenancy abuse and following the completion of a number of subsidised sale flats projects by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), the number of refurbished flats available for allocation to PRH applicants has stayed at a relatively high level in the third quarter of 2024. 

Looking ahead, a number of HA’s new PRH projects will be completed gradually.  Together with the intake at some Home Ownership Scheme and Green Form Home Ownership Scheme projects in this year and the coming year as well as our continuous efforts to combat tenancy abuse, we will endeavor to provide PRH flats for allocation by adopting a three-pronged approach.   It is expected that the average waiting time in the coming one to two quarters will continue to be benefited from the relatively shorter waiting time of the large number of applicants housed to Fu Tip Estate in Tai Po in the first half of 2024.  As such, the average waiting time will remain stable.

With the increase in PRH supply mostly in Tuen Mun and Tung Chung 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 the first quarter of 2025, the overall public housing supply will register an obvious increase.  We are confident that the target to reduce the “Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing” to around 4.5 years in 2026/27 will be achieved.  

As at end-September 2024, there were about 122 000 general applications for PRH, and about 91 000 non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota and Points System.

* The average waiting time is calculated as the average of the waiting time of those general applicants (i.e. family applicants and elderly one-person applicants) who were housed to PRH in the past 12 months, it is not applicable to non-elderly one-person applicants under the Quota and Points System. 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).  If applicants take into account their waiting time under the Quota and Points System or their frozen period, they may perceive a longer waiting time than the average waiting time as announced by HA.

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.