Hong Kong Housing Authority Introduces New Schemes to Enhance Subsidised Sale Flat Rentals and Support Elderly Owners.

Two new schemes of Hong Kong Housing Authority to revitalise subsidised sale flats and create multiple-win situation for elderly, owners, and White Form tenants

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

The Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 18) approved two new schemes to relax the restrictions on letting and resale of subsidised sale flats (SSF) with premium unpaid, thereby revitalising existing housing resources in an all-round manner. Apart from providing more rental options for low-to-middle-income families, the schemes also aim to enhance the circulation of SSF and assist elderly owners in enjoying their retirement lives, creating a multiple-win situation for the elderly, owners, and White Form tenants. Both schemes will be administered by the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) and are expected to start accepting applications in September this year.

Brand new Letting Scheme (White Form) to create win-win solution for owners and tenants

To make more effective use of existing housing resources, allow owners of SSF to utilise their properties flexibly, and provide more rental options for citizens who are not eligible for Public Rental Housing (PRH) but cannot afford to purchase private residential properties, the HA and the HKHS will launch the Letting Scheme for Subsidised Sale Developments with Premium Unpaid (White Form) (Letting Scheme (White Form)) on a pilot basis, with a quota of 3 000. Under this scheme, owners who have owned their SSF for 10 years or more may, after paying a Letting Permit Fee (LPF), let their flat with premium unpaid to applicants who meet the White Form eligibility criteria of the Home Ownership Scheme.

A spokesman for the HA said, "Generally speaking, owners of SSF with premium unpaid are not allowed to let out their flats. If they wish to resell their flats in the open market, they are subject to an alienation restriction period and are required to pay the premium. However, many owners have owned their SSF for many years, and their housing needs may have become different due to changes in their family circumstances. The newly launched Letting Scheme (White Form) provides owners with more options, allowing them to make effective use of their flats and better plan for their arrangements, while at the same time providing persons who meet the White Form eligibility with diversified and affordable rental options, thereby achieving a win-win situation."

Eligible owners and persons meeting the White Form eligibility who wish to participate in the Letting Scheme (White Form) may, during the scheme period, apply to the HKHS for an "Owner Certificate" or a "Tenant Certificate (White Form)" respectively. The application fee for each certificate is $400. Upon obtaining the relevant certificates successfully, owners and tenants may communicate and identify suitable matches through the "Owner and Tenant Information Sharing Platform" or via property agents. After a successful match, the holder of the "Tenant Certificate" must apply for a "Nomination Certificate" from the HA or the HKHS, with an application fee of $400. The owner and tenant may execute the tenancy agreement only after the tenant has obtained the "Nomination Certificate". Owners who let their flats to holders of the Tenant Certificate (White Form) are required to pay the LPF to the HKHS on a quarterly basis.

Launch of Flat for Flat Scheme for Elderly Owners to care for needs of the elderly and promote circulation of SSF

To holistically address the evolving living needs of the elderly, promote the turnover of SSF, and provide elderly owners with an additional flexible option to optimise the use of their assets in support of their retirement, the HA will launch the "Flat for Flat Scheme for Elderly Owners".

Elderly owners who have owned their HA SSF for 10 years or more, and whose registered family members are all aged 60 or above, may apply to participate in the "Flat for Flat Scheme for Elderly Owners". After applying and obtaining a Trade Down Permit (application fee is $500), they may sell their original flat in the Secondary Market, and then purchase another flat in the Secondary Market that is either smaller in saleable area or located in a more remote area. The relevant areas are divided according to the four PRH districts, namely: Urban, Extended Urban, New Territories, and Islands.

The spokesperson said, "The HA has always been attentive to the needs of the elderly and recognises that some may experience changes in their living circumstances after retirement, for instance, family members moving out, or their withdrawal from the workforce, and may wish to downsize or relocate to areas further away from the urban core. The "Flat for Flat Scheme for Elderly Owners" is designed to meet their needs. Any cash surplus from the flat exchange can help support their retirement, while at the same time releasing larger flats or those in more urban locations for other eligible buyers in the Secondary Market, thereby achieving a win-win outcome."

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Housing Authority's estimated PRH allocation for 2026/27 records yearly increase of over 6 000 flats with estimated number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants reaching 10-year high

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

The Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 18) approved the estimated public rental housing (PRH) allocation for 2026-27 and noted the actual allocation in 2025-26.

Estimated allocation surges as public housing production heads for breakthroughs

A spokesman for the HA said that the HA's actual allocation in 2025-26 has reached a total of 28 280 flats. Under the current-term Government's unremitting efforts to "enhance speed, quantity, quality and efficiency", the PRH production forecasts in 2026-27 will significantly increase by 44 per cent (i.e. about 6 900 flats) as compared with the previous year, bringing the estimated number of PRH flats available for allocation to approximately 34 500 (including about 14 600 new flats and about 19 900 recovered flats). The overall estimates are over 15 per cent higher than the estimates in 2025-26, of which the number of new flats has increased by 66 per cent (i.e. about 5 800) in comparison with the previous year.

Among the flats available for allocation in 2026-27, 26 750 flats (i.e. 77.5 per cent) will be allocated to PRH applicants. This represents an increase of over 70 per cent as compared with the annual average of 15 700 flats for the past three years before the current-term Government assumed office. Meanwhile, the estimated number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants has reached a 10-year high.

Sufficient flats reserved for clearance and redevelopment

As regards other categories of applicants, the HA will reserve 1 300 flats for rehousing residents affected by clearance projects planned by various departments, and residents affected by other Government's squatter clearances, emergency clearances, unauthorised rooftop structure clearances and so forth. Among them, 300 flats will be set aside for rehousing residents affected by the Urban Renewal Authority's redevelopment projects scheduled for 2026-27.

Meanwhile, the HA will also reserve 1 150 flats under the category of the HA's Estate Clearance and Major Repairs to facilitate the clearance programmes of Wah Fu Estate, Choi Hung Estate, Sai Wan Estate and Ma Tau Wai Estate.

Making every effort to cater for Compassionate Rehousing and flexibly reserve flats to meet transfer needs

In the past, the HA has long handled all demands for Compassionate Rehousing (CR) as recommended by the Social Welfare Department without setting any upper limit. The HA will reserve 300 flats for allocation under the CR category in 2026-27.

Under the category of Transfers, an estimate of 4 000 flats will be reserved for various transfer purposes in 2026-27, among which a quota of 1 300 will be used for the transfer of under-occupation households so that more large flats can be recovered for easing the pressing demand of applicants with four or more household members. Moreover, the HA will reserve around 1 000 flats for the Transfer Scheme for Improving the Living Environment. The remaining 1 700 flats will be flexibly deployed for other transfer purposes, including Special Transfer, the Harmonious Families Transfer Scheme and transfers under the Full Rent Exemption Scheme for Elderly Households.

For the category of Junior Civil Servants, the HA will continue to reserve 1 000 flats under the Civil Service Public Housing Quota Scheme in 2026-27.

Efficient use of resources for flexible allocation

The HA makes annual projections of the supply of PRH flats that can be allocated in the coming year and how such flats will be allocated to the various categories of demands. The HA will closely monitor any changes in society and maintain flexibility in the allocation of PRH flats to optimise the use of resources.

The breakdown of estimated allocations for various categories in 2026-27 is available in the Annex.

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