Hong Kong Housing Authority Approves Measures to Assist Families in Purchasing Subsidised Flats

HA approves two enhancement measures for subsidised sale flats

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

The Subsidised Housing Committee of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (November 13) approved two enhancement measures for subsidised sale flats (SSF) to assist members of the public in purchasing SSF and achieving the goal of enjoying a stable home and livelihood.

Lowering home ownership threshold for families with newborns

The Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme and the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme announced by the Chief Executive in his 2023 Policy Address have been gradually yielding results. To further assist families with newborns to purchase their own homes and ease their down payment burden, the Chief Executive announced in his 2026 Policy Address that, starting from the next Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) sale exercise, the maximum mortgage loan-to-value ratio for White Form family applicants with newborns will be raised from 90 per cent to 95 per cent, in line with that for Green Form applicants. All families with children aged three or below on the application form as at the application deadline of the relevant HOS sale exercise will benefit from this measure.

Relaxing alienation restriction period of SSF first put up for sale between 2022 and 2025

As announced by the Chief Executive in his 2025 Policy Address, the alienation restriction period of new SSF put up for sale in the open market is shortened from 15 years to 10 years from the date of first assignment, and the relevant measure has been implemented since the launch of the Sale of HOS Flats 2025 and Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2025 exercises. To encourage more homeowners to pursue upward mobility along the housing ladder, the HA will also shorten the alienation restriction period to 10 years for SSF first put up for sale between 2022 and 2025.

"The HA has always strived for excellence and, in recent years, has been committed to enhancing the sale, financing and alienation arrangements for SSF. These two new measures will help more families move up the housing ladder while also promoting the turnover of SSF, providing comprehensive assistance to members of the public to achieve home ownership," a spokesman for the HA said.

Source: AI-found images

Amended imports and exports classification list to take effect in 2027

The Customs and Excise Department today (November 13) reminded importers and exporters that import or export declarations for shipments on or after January 1, 2027, must be completed in accordance with the amendments made to the Hong Kong Imports and Exports Classification List (Harmonized System).

The amendments, published in the Gazette today, will take effect from January 1, 2027.

The amendments involve eight commodity items, namely chemical products and textile articles.

These amendments will bring the classifications more in line with the latest circumstances through the adoption of more appropriate commodity sub-classifications and descriptions.

Importers and exporters can obtain the amended list in the following ways:

(1) by downloading the list from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) at www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/page_1364.html; or

(2) by calling the Import/Export Declaration and Cargo Manifest Enquiry Hotline of the C&SD at 2877 1818.

For enquiries about trade classifications, please contact the Trade Classification Section of the C&SD (e-mail:trade-declaration@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: AI-found images