Hong Kong Ranks Lowest in Per Capita Living Space Among Major Asian Cities
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
A commentary piece by commentator Zhou Xian examines Hong Kong's residential space situation following the Policy Address announcement. The government plans to raise the proportion of subsidized sale units with usable area of 45 square meters or above to 25% in the Northern Metropolis starting from 2031/32. Former Housing Bureau Commissioner Ho Wing-yin previously stated that public housing will not set per capita living area standards, instead measuring units by how many occupants they should accommodate. The government projects a 10% increase in total unit area over the next five years.
Key Points
- Hong Kong's per capita living space stands at 16 square meters, the smallest among compared Asian cities including Tokyo (20.1 sqm), Shanghai (24.2 sqm), Shenzhen (27.9 sqm), Seoul (30.7 sqm), Singapore (33 sqm), and Taipei (34.3 sqm)
- The Policy Address targets increasing subsidized sale units with 45 sqm or above usable area to 25% in the Northern Metropolis from 2031/32
- Hong Kong's average residential unit measures 40 square meters, with public housing units averaging 26.7 sqm, significantly below other major cities like New York (85 sqm) and London (77 sqm)
- Former Housing Bureau Commissioner Ho Wing-yin emphasized measuring units by occupancy rather than per capita standards, projecting a 10% increase in all unit areas within five years
- The statistics exclude subdivided units (劏房), which represent a significant portion of Hong Kong's informal housing market
Why It Matters
Hong Kong's ranking at the bottom for per capita living space among major global cities underscores the severity of its housing crunch and the urgency for solutions . While the Northern Metropolis development represents a long-term approach to expanding living space, the targets remain modest compared to international standards, leaving many residents to rely on undersized units for years to come .
Hong Kong's ranking at the bottom for per capita living space among major global cities underscores the severity of its housing crunch and the urgency for solutions . While the Northern Metropolis development represents a long-term approach to expanding living space, the targets remain modest compared to international standards, leaving many residents to rely on undersized units for years to come .