For This Public Housing Applicant, Woes Continue

"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("

Related News Programmes

"); jQuery(document).ready(function() { jwplayer.key='EKOtdBrvhiKxeOU807UIF56TaHWapYjKnFiG7ipl3gw='; var playerInstance = jwplayer("jquery_jwplayer_1"); playerInstance.setup({ file: "https://newsstatic.rthk.hk/audios/mfile_1485157_1_20191009161743.mp3", skin: { url: location.href.split('/', 4).join('/') + '/jwplayer/skin/rthk/five.css', name: 'five' }, hlshtml: true, width: "100%", height: 30, wmode: 'transparent', primary: navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Trident")>-1 ? "flash" : "html5", events: { onPlay: function(event) { dcsMultiTrack('DCS.dcsuri', 'https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1485157-20191009.mp3', 'WT.ti', ' Audio at newsfeed', 'WT.cg_n', '#rthknews', 'WT.cg_s', 'Multimedia','WT.es','https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1485157-20191009.htm', 'DCS.dcsqry', '' ); } } }); }); });

2019-10-09 HKT 16:16

Share this story

facebook

  • Shirley (left) who works as a public hospital medical assistant, says even with the help of an NGO, her condition has not improved a lot. Photo: RTHK

    Shirley (left) who works as a public hospital medical assistant, says even with the help of an NGO, her condition has not improved a lot. Photo: RTHK

For Shirley, a public hospital medical assistant who's about to reach retirement age, moving into her new home on Temple Street was a relief – even though it was originally meant to be a flat that was to be shared.

But the Concerning Grassroots' Housing Rights Alliance found the apartment offered Shirley a much better home than her subdivided flat in Prince Edward, where she was sharing one room with her 29-year-old son and paying HK$5,800 as rent.

The medical assistant said she applied for public housing around four years ago and is still waiting.

With the help of the social property agent project, she and her son have now managed to sign up for the two rooms at the Temple Street flat paying HK$4,000 each. In effect, what they got was similar to a small flat as the facility came with a common area and a kitchen for the two rooms.

But despite this step up, Shirley's problems have not disappeared. The leaking walls in the new abode have worsened her skin problems. Now she has to use steroids as treatment.

"All the government can bring me is anger. But I have to speak out because if I don't, poor people like myself can get nothing," Shirley said at a media briefing by the alliance.

She said the government should implement rent control to ease the pressure on low-income workers, given how unaffordable housing is in Hong Kong. But as a long-term answer, the government should build more public flats, she said.

Shirley questions why so many tenants have to pay such high rents to live in small, sub-divided units while some private clubs can pay a nominal annual fee and operate "giant" recreational sites.

The alliance, which helped Shirley, also said the government should move pro-actively and take over public land like the Fanling golf course to build more public housing for poor people. They said Chief Executive Carrie Lam should include the proposal in the policy address next week.

RECENT NEWS

Eric Trump To Speak At Bitcoin Asia 2025 In Hong Kong

Eric Trump, the second son of US president Donald Trump, is set to speak at the upcoming Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference i... Read more

Hong Kong Digital Banking Survey Reveals User Concerns And Growth Potential

ECHO ASIA, partnering with students from Global Business Studies, CUHK Business School, announced the release of the H... Read more

InvestHK Attracts HK$160 Billion In 2025, With Fintech As Top Sector

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced on 7 July 2025 that it supported over 1,300 overseas and Mainland companies in se... Read more

ZhongAn Online Completes US$500M H Share Placement To Fuel Core Insurance Growth

ZhongAn Online P & C Insurance Co., Ltd (Zhong An, HKEX:6060) announced the completion of its H share placement on ... Read more

Beyond KYC: How Technology Is Transforming The Fraud Prevention Game

Digital wallets and cryptocurrencies are two of the most targeted channels for fraud this year, according to SEON’s 2... Read more

2025 Hong Kong Fintech Report: What You Need To Know

Hong Kong is hitting the gas when it comes to fintech innovation, regulation and adoption. From the passage of the Stab... Read more