Post-90s Squatter Resident Pays HK$3.87M for Fanling Rehousing Estate After 30-Year Land Resumption
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Housing Authority and Housing Society are providing resettlement options—including cash compensation or public housing placements—for residents affected by the Northern Metropolis development. Grace, who works in clerical jobs, grew up in her family's squatter residence in Fanling North, where her grandfather moved when he was young. The family's two connected houses covered nearly 2,000 square feet with two additional farmland plots enclosed by wire mesh, offering a much more spacious environment than typical urban housing. The village was relatively isolated in earlier years, with residents relying on walking or cycling for transportation, though a bus stop was added near the village entrance in recent years.
Key Points
- Grace, now 36, whose family lived in Fanling North squatter houses for over 60 years, purchased a rehousing estate unit for HK$3.87 million with 90% mortgage
- Her original residence was nearly 2,000 sq ft with two connected houses and two farmland plots, compared to her new 478-sq-ft two-bedroom unit
- The land resumption process spanned nearly 30 years from her primary school years to 2025 relocation, including 2014 population freeze and 2019 phased development announcement
- She paid approximately HK$435,000 for down payment and stamp duty, and spent about HK$260,000 on renovation (exceeding her initial HK$180,000 budget)
- The resettlement options from the Housing Society included cash compensation, public housing through means testing, or Housing Society dedicated rehousing estates without means testing
- The Housing Society offers three dedicated rehousing estates: Lok Kiu Hin in Hung Shui Kiu, Lok Kai Hin in Kai Tak, and Lok Ling Hin in Fanling
- Grace chose Lok Ling Hin to remain in her familiar North District, benefiting from proximity to Fanling MTR station and bus services
Why It Matters
Grace's resettlement story exemplifies the human dimension of Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis development, where long-term residents face difficult trade-offs between heritage, community ties, and regional progress. As the government accelerates land resumption in the New Territories, her experience highlights the importance of providing adequate support and transition arrangements for affected families, particularly those with multi-generational roots spanning decades .
Grace's resettlement story exemplifies the human dimension of Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis development, where long-term residents face difficult trade-offs between heritage, community ties, and regional progress. As the government accelerates land resumption in the New Territories, her experience highlights the importance of providing adequate support and transition arrangements for affected families, particularly those with multi-generational roots spanning decades .