Kai Tak residents threaten to protest over Hong Kong government plan to build 10,000 temporary public homes close by
- Chairman for homeowners committee calls plan to build more than 10,000 temporary public flats on prime commercial site a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’
- But housing minister Winnie Ho argues site in question ‘not easy to come by’
Kai Tak residents have threatened to take to the streets of Hong Kong, as well as resort to legal action, to block a government plan to use the prime commercial site to build more than 10,000 temporary public homes.
The warning on Thursday night came hours after Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said authorities would proceed with the current site selection, despite opposition from residents.
Martin Li Sung-yee, chairman of the owners’ committee for upmarket private housing project One Kai Tak, said: “The issue not only concerns Kai Tak residents, but also all Hong Kong people.”
“It intends to use valuable land resources for low-value use. It is a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Some 50 representatives from around 14 private and government-subsidised housing estates in the area met in the evening to discuss the project, with the group saying they had collected about 5,000 opposing signatures over the past two days.
