Hong Kong intends to amend the law making serious abuse of public housing a criminal offense, with a maximum fine of HK$500,000 ($64,000) and one year’s imprisonment.

The amendment is expected to be enforced by mid-2026.

According to the Housing Authority and the Housing Department, the revision will focus primarily on tackling misuse of public housing for financial gain, such as subletting units or using them for commercial other than residential purposes.

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Housing Authority officials met on Tuesday to discuss revising the Housing Ordinance, stating that the changes are expected to be submitted to the Legislative Council for the first reading in early April, and implemented by the middle of next year.

The new law, if enforced, would apply to all public housing tenants, including anyone assisting in the commercial leasing of units, such as agents. But, it would not be retrospective.

The Authority said some tenants are severely abusing the system but, at present, it can only terminate leases and has no power to prosecute offenders, with very minimal deterrence.

The department said its staff often face challenges in law enforcement and gathering evidence. It’s proposing that if there’s reasonable suspicion an individual has violated, is violating, or is about to violate regulations, the authorities should be able to inspect the suspect’s personal identity, and refusal to comply could lead to a fine of HK$10,000 and six months in jail.

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To strengthen efforts in combating misuse, it has also proposed extending the time limit for prosecution regarding false statements and refusal to provide information to six years after an offense is committed, or one year after it’s discovered.

Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com