Letters | No room for a housing policy that encourages youth to lie flat

Readers discuss the need to tackle Hong Kong’s housing crisis, solutions to the city’s construction financing gap, the importance of language flexibility in tertiary education, and the health impact of alcohol use

Reading Time:5 minutes

An agent works at a real estate agency in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin district, on July 19, 2022. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 11:30am, 16 Oct 2024

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification

What does the future hold for our city when 30 per cent of young Hongkongers feel forced to “lie flat” just to qualify for public housing? (“30% of Hongkongers will ‘lie flat’, decline pay rise to meet public housing rules”, October 7). Are we witnessing a rising “reverse meritocracy” where hard work is punished and stagnation is rewarded?

This alarming trend undermines not only our city’s competitiveness but also the self-worth and aspirations of our youth. With unaffordable housing dictating their life choices, how can we expect them to aspire to greatness?

The government is boosting the supply of affordable housing through its “light public housing” and youth hostel schemes. While this is progress, bolder measures are needed.

One solution could be a “subscription living” model, inspired by co-living trends in cities like Berlin and London. These arrangements offer affordability and flexibility, allowing young professionals to live near job opportunities without long-term lease commitments. By partnering with private developers, we can create similar co-living options tailored to Hong Kong’s youth, fostering both economic opportunity and personal growth.

Furthermore, a “housing credit system” could reward young people for their career achievements, community service and ongoing pursuit of education, while simultaneously enhancing their housing opportunities. For instance, France’s Service Civique programme gives young volunteers a stipend to support their living expenses during civic engagements. We could modify this concept for Hong Kong. A pilot programme could be introduced to allow residents of youth hostels to earn credits based on career milestones and volunteer work, thus improving their prospects for securing housing.