Eviction looms for 'well-off' tenants in HK public rental homes

Hong Kong

HONG Kong is set to kick out wealthier public housing tenants as part of controversial new policies in a city plagued by unaffordable housing woes and lengthening waiting times for such public rental homes.

The subsidised-housing committee of Hong Kong's Housing Authority late Tuesday night finalised and endorsed measures that will force "well-off tenants" in public rental housing (PRH) to vacate their homes, beginning this October. The authority said that this would allow it to better allocate resources to those with "more pressing housing needs".

"Well-off tenants" are defined as those whose monthly income exceeds the corresponding limit - ranging from HK$10,970 (S$2,000) for a single person to HK$52,440 for a household of 10 or more persons - by five times, or if their net assets exceed the li…