Hong Kong Housing Authority and Housing Department

As at end-March 2024, the average waiting time* for general applicants who were housed to PRH in the past 12 months has slightly reduced by 0.1 years to 5.7 years, among which, the average waiting time for elderly one-person applicants has reduced 0.2 years to 3.8 years. In the first quarter of 2024, about 5 300 general applicants were housed to PRH, about 780 of which were elderly one-person applicants. On the other hand, about 740 non-elderly one-person applicants under the Quota and Points System were housed to PRH in the same quarter.

Of the 5 300 general applicants housed to PRH, about 2 800 were housed to refurbished flats. Although there were fewer refurbished flats available for allocation over the last quarter, we had endeavored to expedite the allocation of new PRH flats and about 2 500 general applicants were housed to new PRH flats at Fu Tip Estate. Given that the average waiting time of PRH applicants for flats in the New Territories is generally shorter than those in Urban or Extended Urban districts by about a year, the relatively shorter waiting time of the above-mentioned PRH applicants was thus reflected in the average waiting time in this quarter. As a result, the average waiting time in the first quarter of 2024 slightly reduced by 0.1 years to 5.7 years.

In fact, the number of refurbished flats available for allocation between quarters may vary with the number of recovered flats.  The number of refurbished flats allocated in the last quarter (i.e. the fourth quarter of 2023) was relatively high, apart from the Housing Department’s efforts in combating tenancy abuse, it was also due to the completion of a number of subsidised sale flats (SSFs) projects by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), including Ching Fu Court in Tsing Yi, Yu Tak Court in Sha Tin, Kai Cheung Court in Diamond Hill and Kam Chun Court in Sha Tin.  PRH tenants who had purchased these SSFs vacated their PRH flats after intake, which had increased the number of refurbished flats available for housing PRH applicants in that quarter.

Looking ahead, a number of HA’s new PRH projects will be completed gradually and intake at some Home Ownership Scheme and Green Form Home Ownership Scheme projects will also take place in this year and the coming year.  Together with our continuous efforts to combat tenancy abuse, we will endeavor to provide PRH flats for allocation by adopting a three-pronged approach.  However, the delay of PRH projects by “Aggressive Construction Company Limited” and its impact on the average waiting time as mentioned in the last quarter will take several quarters to be absorbed.  Under these circumstances, it is expected that the average waiting time in 2024 will remain steady in general but may still have slight fluctuations between quarters.

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-March 2024, there were about 127 900 general applications for PRH, which has reduced by 1 500 over the last quarter, and has reduced by 18% as compared with the 155 100 applications at end-2017. The non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota and Points System has remained at about 92 300 cases and has reduced by 28% as compared with the 127 800 applications at end-2017.

*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).

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.