Urban Poverty In Hong Kong

Critically examine the response of Hong Kong government to the housing problems of the urban poor.

Introduction

Urban poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon with daily challenges including, job opportunities, housing security, environment, mechanical support and educational opportunities (World Bank, 2011).

A survey has given Hong Kong “the title of most unaffordable housing in the world for the fourth straight year”, while housing affordability in Hong Kong is rated as “severely unaffordable” (US-based consultancy Demographia, 2014). It necessarily shows that not a lot of Hong Kongers can afford a secured home, and urban poverty is not uncommon.

However, it is unfair to make a judgement on whether the Hong Kong government is responsive

The Hong Kong media has given many new terms for the urban poor, like people living in sub-divided flats/ripped rooms, cage homes, cubicle homes and bed-space apartments.

It shows that urban poor in Hong Kong is not limited or confined to those who are living in squatter settlements, slums or pavements dwellers. Hong Kong Urban Poor includes those who are living in the ripped rooms and cage homes.

In general, the rental price of a public housing unit is cheaper than that of ripped rooms, and the size of ripped rooms are much smaller. Those who can afford the rental of ripped rooms, but are unable to live in a public housing estate due to the limited public housings shall be counted as urban poor as well.

(ii) Reason Behind the Housing Problems In the 1850s, Hong Kong’s population grew gradually due to the mainlanders’ migration. The political and social instability in China drove mainlanders to Hong Kong, led to the drastic increase in population, from 600,000 in 1921 to 800,000 in 1931. After the Second World War, the population caused a serious housing

Although the government had done some work in building public housing, it shows that Hong Kongers take an active role in the process. The government had a slow progress in building public housing, with the 1.2 million people living in poverty; the government is not responsive in solving the problem. "It 's not that the H.K. government can 't help people like me who are part of the low-income society and need help, it 's that they don 't want to help people like us and solve problems like this" (CNN, 2011), said a Hong Kong social worker. The fact is that there are vacant flats and abandoned buildings, but the government neglects them and has little incentive in investing in solving the housing problem of the urban