Hong Kong subdivided flats: task force given more work to do after submitting report to John Lee

City leader receives report on how to regulate subdivided housing, but wants further look at feedback from recent policy address consultations

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A resident in a Sham Shui Po subdivided flat with no windows or air conditioning. A government task force has submitted its assessment report of such substandard housing. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:30pm, 22 Aug 2024Updated: 9:06pm, 22 Aug 2024

A task force looking into regulating Hong Kong’s notorious subdivided flats has submitted its report to the city’s leader, who asked it to also incorporate views from his recent public consultation sessions and some new elements and hand in the findings in a month.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he had received the report on Thursday morning from the government task force set up last year to address the problem of subdivided flats, which are notorious for their poor hygiene and safety hazards.

“After examining the report, I have provided the task force with views I received during the policy address consultation and requested them to incorporate them into the study,” Lee said in a social media post, referring to the public feedback sessions he launched on July 31.

“I have also suggested new elements for the task force’s consideration and instructed it to submit further study findings within a month.”

Lee stressed that he would study those findings before announcing any decisions.

The Housing Bureau noted that the task force had discussed the flat size, height, lighting, ventilation and facilities of subdivided housing, and provided concrete suggestions.