A general view of residential buildings in West Kowloon District, Hong Kong on April 11, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said the progress of developed-land creation is in line with government expectations.

Wong updated the land supply forecast from 2024-25 to 2033-34, as the supply of developed land with infrastructural facilities will reach 3,370 hectares, an increase of 90 hectares compared with the 10-year supply forecast of last year.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday the establishment of a Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units, to be led by the Deputy Financial Secretary

The supply of developed land mainly derives from government-led projects. The Development Bureau will announce the action plan regarding the Northern Metropolitan area on Monday.

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He said that according to the latest projections of the Long Term Housing Strategy, demand for public housing from 2024-25 to 2033-34 will reach 308,000 units, while about 410,000 public housing units will be completed in the next 10 years. From 2024-25 to 2028-29, the total supply of public housing, including Light Public Housing, will reach 172,000 units.

Wong, who is also the chairman of the Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units, said the special administrative region government will fully consider the transition and then follow up on arrangements when the government decides to ban substandard subdivided flats in the future.

“When the government decides to ban subdivided flats that are below standard, it will fully consider the transition and follow up arrangements so that those subdivided-flat tenant households will not be made homeless because of the government ban,” Wong said at a Thursday news conference.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday the establishment of a Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units, to be led by the Deputy Financial Secretary.

The task force will submit recommendations to the chief executive in the next 10 months, regarding the minimum standards of living conditions of subdivided units in areas of building safety, fire safety, living space and hygiene. After setting the standards, the task force then will suggest measures to eradicate substandard subdivided units, and put forward solutions to address the problem in an orderly manner.

Wong said the interdepartmental working group will propose recommendations that target the elimination of subdivided units that do not meet the standards, prevent the further increase of subdivided units that do not meet the minimum standards, and propose orderly solutions, including necessary administrative and legislative advice.

Wong also said that the task force plans to hold its first meeting next week.

The deputy finance chief pointed out that solving the problem of subdivided housing is not a short-term issue that can be solved overnight, but will require time, consensus from all sectors of society, and support from the public. He said the administration is determined to resolve the problem of subdivided housing.

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According to government figure, 220,000 people currently are living in about 110,000 subdivided units with undesirable living conditions, while many subdivided unit tenants are waiting for public rental housing allocations.