Policy address set for September 17, Hong Kong leader says during community visit

Hong Kong’s leader visited eastern Kowloon’s grass-roots residents on Saturday morning as part of a consultation exercise ahead of his policy address, which he announced will be on September 17.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday began his visit to two families living in a “light public housing” project on Ngau Tau Kok’s Choi Hing Road before heading to Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate.

“The purpose of launching light public housing is to allow those in need to move in in a quicker manner … Today, my feeling is that what the project provides is not only the space, but also room for the tenants’ children to grow healthy physically and mentally,” he said after wrapping up the morning visit.

He added that the general waiting time for public rental housing had eased from 6.1 years to 5.1 years.

“For residents who suffer in subdivided flats, I feel this one-year cut-down has been extremely important for them. This belief of mine was proven by the joy I just saw on their faces and in the children’s smiles,” he said.

Light public housing is a type of temporary home designed by the government for families who have been on the waiting list for a standard public rental flat for three years or longer.

Such housing schemes started accepting tenants in March, with more than 800 families having received accommodation as of May.