Public housing estates in Hong Kong are the most common kind of public housing in Hong Kong. Typically, estate units are leased to low-income people. There are three organizations that provide housing units. They are Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), and Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation Limited.
As of 31 March 2016, approx. ⅓ of Hong Kong's population (2.14 million) live in Hong Kong's public housing estates. 760,000 of those units were owned by HKHA [1] while 140,000 are HKHS [2] and 1,400 HK Settlers Housing Corp. Ltd. [3] (Tai Hang Sai Estate)
The development of public housing estates in Hong Kong first began in December 1953. To rehouse the fire victims affected by Shek Kip Mei fire, the Resettlement Department built two-story bungalows. [4]
Before HKHA, most public housing units at the time were provided by the HKHS (founded in 1948) and HKS Housing Corp Ltd. (founded in 1950). In 1954, more and more resettlement estates are being built. In the 60s, the committee launched public housing estates. At this point, in the 1980s, the HKHA began to introduce amenities, green space, and leisure facilities. Such examples include Choi Wan Estate, Mei Lam Estate, Butterfly Estate, Sun Chui Estate, and Lok Wah Estate. Since the 1990s, demand for public housing units began to increase. Density increased and the area for green space and facilities decreased. This phenomenon can be found in public housing estates north of Tin Shui Wai, like Tin Yuet Estate, Tin Wah Estate, and Tin Yat Estate. In the 2000s, green space and facilities began to increase. Due to the appearance of non-standard housing blocks, the HKHA has introduces facilities for children, gardens, and plazas. The new features are an improvement compared to its early versions.
The designs of public housing blocks are followed as: First Generation (before 1986):
Second Generation (1986-1992):
Third Generation (1992-2003):
Fourth Generation (2003-2012):
Fifth Generation (2012–present):
Here are a list of designs found in the blocks of Hong Kong public housing estates (Note: not all of them will be listed, due to too many designs/types):
Here is a list of floorplans for public housing blocks in Hong Kong:
The social media boom has made people go inside the public housing estates and take photos. It evolved to include the housing estate background into their videos. The estates involved were Nam Shan Estate, Choi Hung Estate, Lok Wah Estate, Ping Shek Estate, etc. Some of them even set up special sections dedicated to these estates.
In 2018, W. Leung, the man who has travelled to 200 public housing estates and took 200,000 photos inside the estates won a National Geographic award due to one of his photos involving a staircase at Jat Min Chuen. It showcased the beauty of Hong Kong's public housing estates. [13]
Due to the popularity of social media, a lot of foreigners come to Hong Kong's public housing estates. A Japanese artist called Fujiwara launched Engeki Quest at Choi Hung Estate. [14]
The housing authority hasn't installed sufficient fire lights for the deaf or residents with hearing loss. These residents have tried to apply but were rejected. [15] The Labor Party and a group of deaf people filed a lawsuit against the housing authority, [16] alleging that they couldn't hear the fire alarms. Chairman Kwok Wing-kin said that people who were deaf or have hearing loss should not be deprived of proper living conditions. [17] Siu Tsan, founder of Silence, has claimed that at least some of the residents having deafness or have hearing loss live in at least 1,000 public housing estates. [18] [19]
Ma Tau Chung is an area in Kowloon, Hong Kong, west of Ma Tau Kok and east of Ma Tau Wai. It was named after a creek which originated in Quarry Hill emptying into Kowloon Bay. The village of Ma Tau Chung stood on its banks near the river mouth near the Sacred Hill.
North Lantau New Town is the newest of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, located on the northern coast of the Lantau Island in the New Territories. It covers Tung Chung, Tai Ho Wan, Siu Ho Wan, other parts of northeast Lantau Island, and the reclaimed land along the coast between them. It is the only new town in the Islands District and the youngest new town in Hong Kong. As the commercial, residential and community facilities in the New Town are concentrated in Tung Chung, it has been renamed Tung Chung New Town in recent official government documents.
Choi Hung Estate is a public housing estate in Ngau Chi Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was built by the former Hong Kong Housing Authority (屋宇建設委員會) and is now managed by the current Hong Kong Housing Authority (香港房屋委員會). It received a Silver Medal at the 1965 Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Awards.
David Gregory Jeaffreson, CBE, JP was a British colonial government official and civil servant. He arrived in Hong Kong in 1961 serving as Administrative Officer, and was Secretary for Economic Services and Secretary for Security in 1970s and 1980s, during which he had also been appointed as official Legislative Councillor for more than ten years.
Dame Rosanna Wong Yick-ming also known by her married name, Rosanna Tam Wong Yick-ming, in her former marriage from 1979 lasting until 1992, and primarily known as Dr Rosanna Wong in public occasions after 1997, is a Hong Kong social work administrator and politician who has served as the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups since 1980.
Sir Donald Collin Cumyn Luddington, was a British colonial government official and civil servant who served firstly in the Hong Kong Government and became District Commissioner, New Territories and the Secretary for Home Affairs successively, during which he had also served as an official member of the Legislative Council. He was later promoted to Oceania and was High Commissioner for the Western Pacific and Governor of the Solomon Islands during the period from 1973 to 1976. He returned to Hong Kong in 1977 to replace Sir Ronald Holmes as chairman of the Public Service Commission. He was the second person, after Sir Jack Cater, to hold the post of Commissioner of ICAC from 1978 until his retirement in 1980.
Sir David Ronald Holmes was a British colonial government official who served in Hong Kong from 1938.
Fuk Loi Estate is a public housing estate in Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, located at the reclaimed land along Castle Peak Road and opposite to Nan Fung Centre, Tsuen Kam Centre and Discovery Park. It has 9 residential buildings completed between 1963 and 1967, and it is the oldest existing public housing estate in Tsuen Wan District.
Public housing estates in Shek Kip Mei are public housing in an area originally known as Kap Shek Mi in New Kowloon on the North Eastern Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong.
Tai Hom Village was the largest squatter village in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Its demolition was completed in 2001, with a few structures of historical value being preserved. The name is still used to designate its former site in Wong Tai Sin District, which is awaiting redevelopment.
Edward Tyrer was a senior British colonial police officer who was Commissioner of Police, Hong Kong, from December 1966 to July 1967.
The Kung Sheung Daily News was a Chinese language newspaper published in Hong Kong under British colonial rule. It was owned indirectly by Ho Shai-lai, a former Republic of China general and son of Hong Kong tycoon Robert Ho Tung. It was a pro-Kuomintang newspaper and ran according to the Minguo calendar.
Chun Yeung Estate is a public housing estate in Fo Tan, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is the only public housing estate in Fo Tan, located at the junction of Wong Chuk Yeung Street and Kwei Tei Street. It comprises 5 blocks and 1 shopping centre with total of 4,846 flats. Its name prefix "Chun" means "horse" in English since Sha Tin Racecourse is located in Fo Tan. It was completed in 2020.
Fai Ming Estate, former name "Fanling Area 49 Public Housing Development", is a public housing estate on Fai Ming Road in Fanling, New Territories, Hong Kong, next to Yung Shing Court. It was completed in 2019 and comprises two blocks with a total of 952 flats.
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