Yhk 5.4

a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups
December 2013
Volume 5 Number 4
Youth
HONG KONG
Housing dilemma
Youth
Hong Kong
December 2013 Volume 5 Number 4
YOUTH HONG KONG published quarterly by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups EDITORIAL BOARD Rosanna Wong Elaine Morgan (Editor) Ada Chau (Assistant Editor) Angela Ngai Lakshmi Jacot William Chung Henry Poon CIRCULATION (unaudited) 10,000-12,000 in Hong Kong, throughout the region and overseas VIEWS EXPRESSED are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher REPRODUCTION OF CONTENTS without written permission from the publisher is prohibited INTERVIEWS Elaine Morgan Chun Yu Yiu Michelle Sum Amanda Xiang Helen Cheung Mindy Li Tiffany Ip OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Edwin Tang, Louis Cheung, Mathew Fung, Kate Kwok, Education Post, Terry Tsz, William Wong, Edmond Hui, Rachel Yiu, HK200, Heidi Hui. TRANSLATION Henry Poon, Ada Chau PHOTOGRAPHS Cover photo by Chan Man-kit Inside pages photos by (in alphabetical order) Ip Ching-yi, Stanley Lau Tsz-yeung, Alan Law, Law Yu-sum, Leung Wai-yum, Matthew Pang Wai-chun, Sin Yau-ting, Tang Chi-fai, Tse Wing-yan and Wong Wing-hei Other photographs by Elaine Morgan, Education Post, KY Cheng /SCMP, acknowledged as captioned, or in public domain. ARTWORK Sam Suen, DG3 Asia Ltd DESIGN, LAYOUT & PRINTING DG3 Asia Ltd ISSN 2071-3193 WEB youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk CORRESPONDENCE to The Editor, Youth Hong Kong, 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong TEL 3755 7084, 3755 7108 FAX 3755 7155 EMAIL youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hk ADVERTISING enquiries to Ada Chau 3755 7108 THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS was founded in 1960 and is one of the citys largest non-profit youth organizations. Its programmes and activities at over 60 locations are attended by 5 million participants every year. CORE SERVICES Counselling, Creativity Education & Youth Exchange, e-Services, Education Services, Leadership Training, Leisure, Cultural & Sports Services, Parent-child Mediation, Research & Publications, Services for Youth at Risk, Volunteer Services, Youth Employment, Youth SPOTs, www.hkfyg.org.hk, www.m21.hk
Contents
OVERVIEW 4 Housing dilemmas INTERVIEWS 9 Anthony Cheung: Secretary for Transport & Housing Step by step out of a difficult predicament with Chun Yu Yiu and Michelle Sum 10 Peter Cookson Smith: Urbis City limits YOUTH WRITE 13 Young Planners Group: HK Institute of Planners Edwin Tang, Louis Cheung, Mathew Fung, Kate Kwok PERSPECTIVE Marco Wu: HK Housing Society 17 Think twice with Amanda Xiang and Helen Cheung INSIGHT Ray Forrest and Yip Ngai-ming: City University 20 Housing mobility: transition and change YOUTH WATCH 23 City living: major cities round the world 26 Becoming independent YOUTH SPEAK 28 Education Post Living tales of a crowded city 30 Ada Chau Moving on, moving out TALKING POINT 31 Shih Wing Ching: Centaline Affordable housing: a proposal with Mindy Li and Tiffany Ip PROFILE Terry Tsz 33 Feet on the ground CITY SPACE 34 Home away from home 35 Recycling at work ARTS & CULTURE 36 Musical on air INTERNETSCOPE 38 Eats, apps, genes and greens 40 Lead with Scratch HKFYG 42 Outdoor Training Camp Sai Kung 44 HKFYG Museum 47 Very Hong Kong Photo Competition at M21 48 Youth Service Awards ON THE AGENDA 49 Looking after the disadvantaged
Photo by Alan Law
MEDIA PARTNER Education Post
December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong
Editorial
Since 2008
ive years ago, Youth Hong Kong was launched as our first quarterly publication in English. The primary aim was to build partnerships and networks, sharing with others in Hong Kong and overseas, news and views of developments and concerns for young people in the city. The feedback we have received has been positive and we are grateful to you, our readers, for your support and encouragement. We ask you to continue reading and responding to the questions we raise for debate as we enter our sixth year.
In this issue
he discussion in the following pages covers a problem that is particularly pertinent in Hong Kong, but which we believe has resonance around the world: the dilemma of how young people can get on the first rung, and then try to climb the housing ladder. Hong Kong is unusual in several respects. Its high property prices, lack of space, and waiting lists for public housing give it a very specific context. By talking to experts and youth we try to determine the options and the hurdles that need to be addressed, not just immediately, but also while working towards long-term, sustainable solutions. We do hope you will write in and share your experiences and thoughts on this controversial issue. In the meantime, do allow me, on behalf of the entire Youth Hong Kong team, to wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Dr Rosanna Wong, DBE, JP Executive Director, HKFYG December 2013
Youth Hong Kong | December 2013
Overview
Housing d
H
ousing is at the top of the present governments list of priorities, as stated in the 2013 Policy Address. A qualitative study of views1 was commissioned earlier this year and a public consultation on the topic has just ended.2 It is generally agreed that young people who want to live independently have serious problems in Hong Kong.
In the 1950s, when Hong Kongs population was growing rapidly with the arrival of migrants from the mainland, an ambitious resettlement programme began. At that time, public housing blocks were simple, six or seven storeys high, with no lifts, tiny household units and communal washing and cooking facilities. Sixty years later, about 30% of Hong Kongs popualation lives in public housing3 and about 17% lives in government-subsidized home ownership units.4 However, there are still shortages, the reasons for which will be discussed in this issue. They include conflict over land use and infrastructure projects, inadequate and sometimes unsafe housing, and sky high purchase prices and rents. The 2013 Policy Address acknowledges the problems while stating that they cannot be solved overnight. The main priority is to assist grassroots families into public housing and middle-income families into home ownership. The Address notes that, High housing prices and rents also affect young couples plans to marry and start a family. This undermines family harmony and can cause potential safety and health hazards5 but it admits that, It is all too easy for the Government to side-step the problem, but it is today's young people who will have to bear the adverse consequences in future.6 For young people, it is not only their future but their present predicament which causes anxiety. Mobility on the housing ladder once seemed probable. Now, many academics and professionals argue that there is lack of long-term planning for sustainability and absence of focused policy to meet changing needs. These have, in part, led to imbalanced supply and demand, an uneven distribution of housing resources, soaring property prices, insufficient regulation of the property market and land supply shortages.7
There is frustration and a deep sense of helplessness.

In this context, it is not surprising that a large majority of youth in Hong Kong continue to live with parents after they leave school, throughout their tertiary education, and sometimes even when they enter the workforce. Prolonged education and increasing student debt also contribute to their decision to postpone independence and add to their housing dilemmas.
Overview
ilemmas
Government departments The choice is between public and private housing, depending on income.Buying property is very costly, if are not co-ordinated and not unaffordable, while rents on the private market are population policy and often exorbitant. For those who are eligible, public rental housing policy are not linked. housing (PRH) is the affordable option but availability is the issue. There is a long waiting list and a quota and points system that gives young people low priority. Although there is little pressure on the whole for many young people to move out of the family home, Nonetheless, an increasing number apply for PRH. according to HKFYG research, living independently According to a report from the Hong Kong Housing in ones own property is still regarded as a symbol of success and security12 and 40% of all respondents in Authority, 43% of applicants for PRH aged below 30 are students, and their main reason for applying is a territory-wide Federation survey said they planned that they want to live alone.8 Other reasons include to buy their own flats.13 However most young their present cramped accommodation (18%) and adults only begin to seriously consider independent high rents for private property (12%). The average living on the point of marriage. Indeed, one byliving space in PRH is 13 sq m per person9 and product of the dearth of affordable housing may rent is only HK$1,54010 per month. Many students be that young adults are in fact marrying later.14 apply even though their salaries after graduation will probably exceed the prescribed income limit. Young peoples dilemmas about housing are recognized but it is generally accepted that others have more pressing For those aged 26-34 who are employed, non-degree needs and should take priority for PRH. They include holders, the housing dilemma is different, and not the elderly, the poor, and low-income single earners immediately urgent. If they are not eligible for PRH aged over 35. In fact, the governments Consultation Document15 notes that it would be difficult to accord they need to set aside at least 30% of their income to rent on the private market. They lack capital to make a top priority to the housing needs of youngsters for the down payment for a flat, often citing the fact that their time being, but the younger generation is the future pay lags far behind current property prices. There is [and] the government must demonstrate its commitment frustration and a deep sense of helplessness that a longto resolve the housing problem, and establish an term solution to their housing dilemma is not apparent.11 effective housing ladder which promotes mobility.
Overview
A serious issue that needs to be tackled initially is that of land supply. Less than 7%16 of Hong Kongs total land is currently allocated for residential purposes, but broad consensus has not yet been reached on acceptable social costs of increasing available land. For example, there are strong reservations about controversial reclamation and development in country parks. There is widespread agreement that sacrifices will have to be made in order to benefit Hong Kong people as a whole. Proposals to redevelop brownfield sites and change the use of industrial buildings have generally been accepted and suggestions to transform industrial buildings into short-term housing for the needy have been made. In addition, many believe that new towns in the New Territories must be built. Once again, however, it is not simply the discussion of possibilities that young people need, it is the implementation of concrete decisions. So what could possible solutions entail? Some have argued that increasing the supply of governmentsubsidized Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats is an effective way to address the aspirations of young people. This is partly because 70%-80% of actual first-time home buyers are aged 39 or below.17 The government estimates an overall projected demand of about 470,000 new housing units over the next ten years and has recommended a 60:40 ratio as the split between public and private housing with a pledge to provide about 17,000 HOS flats from 2016-17 onwards,
Sources
There is widespread agreement that sacrifices will have to be made.

and an annual average of 5,000 HOS flats thereafter. Whether this will be realized remains to be seen. One controversial measure is the reintroduction of rent controls.18 Those in favour believe that this would prevent landlords from arbitrarily increasing rents. Those opposed believe it would mean imposing more regulations and might even goad landlords into leaving flats vacant if they could not get their asking price. What many people feel is that that government departments are not coordinated and population policy and housing policy are not linked. This lack of cohesiveness and perceived government failure is very clearly seen as a major hindrance to more accurate estimations of real long-term housing demand.19 The difficulties in finding a way forward are undeniable. They require resolution of a number of dilemmas, but an acknowledgement of the need for long-term strategic planning which aims for genuine sustainability has been made. However, the next step involves reconstructing the missing rungs of the housing ladder.20 This step has yet to be taken and how it is to be achieved is a question that everyone, especially youth, wants to hear answered.
1. Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Report on Focus Group Study on Long Term Housing Strategy of Hong Kong. August 2013 http://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/policy/housing/policy/lths/LTHS_Focus_Group_Report.pdf 2. Building Consensus, Building Homes. Long Term Housing Strategy Consultation Document. http://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/policy/housing/policy/lths/lthb_consultation_doc_201309.pdf 3. Hong Kong: the facts. Housing. September 2013. http://www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/factsheets/docs/housing.pdf 4. Hong Kong Housing Authority. Housing in Figures, 2013. http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/en/common/pdf/about-us/publications-and-statistics/HIF.pdf 5. Policy Address. para 65. http://www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2013/eng/p65.html 6. ibid. para 72 7. Report on Focus Group Study op cit. 3.2.4 B04 http://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/policy/housing/policy/lths/LTHS_Focus_Group_Report.pdf 8. http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/hdw/content/document/en/aboutus/ha/paperlibrary1/shc/shc0811.pdf 9. Housing in Figures. op cit. 10. Hong Kong: the facts. op cit. 11. Report on Focus Group Study op. cit. 3.1.9 A09 12. Yip Ngai-ming. Journal of Youth Studies January 2012, vol 15. 13. HKFYG Youth Research Centre. Youth Study Series No. 45. A Study on the Economic Dependence on Family among Young People in Hong Kong (II): Housing Problem. December 2010. 14. http://www.cpu.gov.hk/doc/en/research_reports/HK's%20Post%2080s%20Generation%20-%20Profiles%20and%20Predicaments.pdf 15. Building Consensus, Building Homes op.cit. 16. The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors. Annual Conference, 2012. 17. Report on Focus Group Study op.cit. 3.2.2 B02 18. Report on Focus Group Study op. cit. 4.4.9 19. ibid. 3.2.2.4 20. ibid. 3.2.2 B02 Note Background image on pages 4-6 by Tang Chi-fai
Interviews
Step by step
difficult predicament
out of a
roblems in housing top Hong Kongs list of livelihood issues. They are being addressed by the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee* which is chaired by Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung. He gave details to student interviewers, Chun Yu Yiu and Michelle Sum, with the Youth Hong Kong team.
Recommendations that concern housing for youth include, instilling in the younger generation confidence in the future by demonstrating ... determination to gradually resolve the housing problem. An effective housing ladder which promotes upward mobility is the target. This is to involve setting aside a certain percentage of new, subsidized, Home Ownership Scheme flats for eligible single applicants, but without any age stipulation. The feasibility of building dedicated public rental housing for single people is also to be explored. However, stated housing policy objectives are primarily to assist grassroots families to secure public housing to meet their basic ...needs; to assist the public to choose accommodation according to ... affordability and personal circumstances; and to encourage those who can afford [it] to buy their own homes. They are not related specifically to any age group. Two secondary school students came to the interview with Professor Cheung. Their responses to what he said are quite different, but both reveal the predicament in which the HKSAR Governments Secretary for Transport and Housing finds himself when it comes to seeking an evenhanded answer to demands from all stakeholders.

*Notes Full details can be found in the HKSAR Governments Long Term Housing Strategy Consultation Document issued in September this year, from which these quotes are taken. Statistics are derived from the same source or from the interview. Background image on pages 8-9 by Chan Man-kit
(left to right) Chun Yu Yiu, Professor Anthony Cheung, Michelle Sum
Interviews
Prices, demands and problems

A horrifying 26% increase in average flat prices was recorded in 2012. Over the past few years, the dream of owning a flat has been shattered for many young people. Indeed, the possibility before they are 35 years old is virtually zero. What caused such shocking price increases? Professor Cheung spoke of the under-supply of available housing to meet demand, the shortage of land, and numerous conflicting stakeholder views. Then there are high construction costs. And of course, nobody expected the sharp increase in demand from mainland investors. As a result, the policymaker in charge of Hong Kongs housing finds his job more complicated than he expected. He told us that Hong Kong is a free market and the government does not directly control prices of flats. It may create policies that allow the market to adjust itself. However, whenever a policy is made, the government must take into account every possible consequence, and must be careful not to create artificial demand or a reduction in supply, as these are two main factors in the increase in prices. Professor Cheung says he wants to make policy that will benefit Hong Kong as a whole. That means building more flats, but Hong Kong has very limited space for construction. Wherever the government plans to build, there are opposing voices. If it proposes construction on green belt sites, environmentalists protest about the effect on the environment and increased pollution. If there are plans to redevelop old buildings on brownfield sites, there are residents unwilling to move because of their long attachment to the area. If the government decides to reclaim, conservationists object because of damage to marine habitats. Hong Kong is also short of construction labour. Being a construction worker is exhausting, often with low pay. Many of the younger generation have degrees, and a career in the construction industry is definitely unappealing to them Professor Cheung makes the point that even with an adequate workforce, the construction of new flats takes years and the current housing dilemma cannot be solved instantly. He hopes that in ten years time, the situation will be much better and when more flats are available, flat prices will start to stabilize, and possibly drop slightly. Professor Cheungs passion for the job, and a wholehearted wish to solve Hong Kongs housing dilemma were clearly evident during the interview. He says, You cant solve all the problems immediately, but you must take the first step. Then the second step, otherwise they will never be solved.
Chun Yu Yiu, Year 11, Island School 35
Over the past few years, the dream of owning a flat has been shattered for many young people.
Interviews
Inequalities, inequities and inadequacies

Mansions, flats, stilt houses, sub-divided units and cage homes can all be found in the city we call home, but the long-standing housing problems we face today not only illustrate the large income disparity between the rich and the poor, they also fuel social discontent and resentment, of both property developers and mainland speculators who are labelled for causing high property prices. During the interview with Professor Cheung, in his office overlooking Victoria Harbour, a layer of mist surrounded the skyscrapers. It gave pause for thought: is our city still the wonderland it once was, offering economic opportunities as Asias central financial hub? Or has it lagged behind to such an extent that we no longer have faith in development here because housing policy alienates the underprivileged in society? It is true that needy families and elderly singletons are prioritized in the waiting list for public housing. Indeed, young singles need to wait over ten years to have any chance. So does the present Quota and Points System indicate that the government is not taking appropriate measures on behalf of struggling youth? Professor Cheung says changing the system would outweigh the benefits, and poor families in great need of proper housing would suffer. This is an outcome that is undesirable from both public policy and humanitarian viewpoints. Young people who demand home purchase subsidy schemes also pose a dilemma for the government. Such schemes can overheat the market and lead to further increases in property prices. A parallel example in the rental market was the recent announcement of a one-off subsidy from the Community Care Fund to individuals with inadequate housing. It is feared that this may push up rents for sub-divided flats, by creating a convenient excuse for unscrupulous landlords.
Young people who demand home purchase subsidy schemes pose a dilemma for the government.
These examples illustrate some complexities of the Hong Kong housing market and competing demands from immigrants, people with inadequate living space and young people wanting independence. All of them have legitimate reasons for wanting a home of their own. However, there is another difficult problem for the government to tackle satisfactorily: cubicles and sub-divided units. It is estimated that there are currently about 67,000 such units in Hong Kong. Although some young people might choose to live in such units due to convenience or cheap rent, it is of great concern that so little has been done to help anybody who ends up in such a home. Aside from establishing the actual number of such units, the government should also take more proactive measures to ensure the safety of the structures, even if inspections and monitoring are difficult. This is particularly true of multiple cage homes without even the most basic facilities which pose real danger to inhabitants and to the surrounding neighbourhood. The awareness of thousands of people in the urban area living in sub-human conditions detracts from the allure of the citys skyline with its towering buildings. To make Hong Kong a real home for all of us, it is essential for the government to protect those with sub-standard accommodation and with no hope for anything better in the future, while working towards a more equitable housing market that allows mobility on Hong Kongs housing ladder. Professor Cheungs closing remarks revolved around the frustrations in trying to reconcile conflicting demands, You cannot have a policy that pleases everyone. Somehow we have to strike a balance.
You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you cant please all of the people all of the time. John Lydgate
Michelle Sum, Year 12, Li Po Chun United World College
Interviews
City limits
P
eter Cookson Smith is an expert in the field of planning and urban design in Hong Kong. Having lived in Hong Kong for nearly four decades, he has seen many changes. He spoke of the issues facing the city and the directions in which we need to move.
Dr Smiths primary view is that land availability is the central issue. We need an overall long-term territorial development strategy that examines all aspects of growth and comes up with balanced solutions for the betterment of the city as a whole rather than one that has to suddenly incorporate new initiatives at one end of the spectrum. Government effectively owns all the land in the territory. It raises revenue by setting a high premium on land prices and offsets this by low taxes.1 Property developers transfer the high land premium onto buyers who pay dearly for very small flats. Over 90% of all private units are no more than 47.5 sq m or 511 sq ft. A proportion of new housing under the Long Term Housing Strategy will be for public rental housing (PRH), in a public-private ratio of 60:40. The PRH is probably to be in the form of Trident blocks, which have 24 flats per floor of 23.2 sq m (250 sq ft) each. Naturally, people want a bigger home but the rungs on the housing ladder have disappeared. However, between 1990 and 2011 new housing supply fell some 60%. It is difficult to get people in PRH to move into larger flats or buy their own homes, even though a very high percentage of tenants have incomes above the allowed upper level. Abuse of the system is not monitored closely and economists who have looked at the issue find it likely that a significant proportion of public housing tenants probably also own a private sector flat. In the private sector even if families did want to move from a 500 sq ft to an 800 sq ft flat, these bigger units are in short supply. Therefore, how can there be an effective housing ladder to meet the aspirations of the younger generation?
10
Interviews
Naturally, people want a bigger home but the rungs on the housing ladder have disappeared.
He says that it is finally dawning on policy makers that many factors are interlinked and need to be examined holistically. He warns that although getting the balance right is a key objective, the problems associated with land supply underpin many concerns. There is a shortage of rural land and the northern New Territories are a case in point. Land use outside new towns and country parks has been allowed to develop in ways that are environmentally damaging and massively wasteful in terms of land resources. Asked whether he thinks government is planning to do enough for young people, he agrees that the aspiration for home ownership must be addressed as an important measure of life quality. However meeting a target of up to 500,000 new units within the next ten years, as proposed in the Long Term Housing Strategy, requires careful analysis. In fact economists tell us that there are probably already about 200,000 more flats than households in the SAR. Many families own second properties but leave them unoccupired or let. We need to better equate supply with demand, while assisting those who are living in sub-divided units, possibly in dangerous conditions, as soon as possible. If government cannot secure sufficient land, it will be almost impossible to meet its deadline of housing families and single people on the waiting list within three years.
If employment ambitions are skewed towards affording basic shelter, this not only fails to inspire but can send people hurtling towards dead-end jobs.
Reproduced with the kind permission of the artist and author, Peter Cookson Smith, The Design of Impermanence. MCCM Creations, 2006.
11
Interviews
Education, employment and development opportunities are very important, but they need to be seen in terms of the bigger picture: Improved urban environment; an income structure that equates with the potential for a better quality of life ... a city that can be shared and enjoyed, not merely laboured in just to get by. This is what will give young people a viable future. Raised expectations have to be met. Most importantly, where quality of life is concerned, that means somewhere decent and affordable to live. We should never have had to face a rearguard action like this where undergraduates are applying for public housing. In the end if young peoples expectations are not met they will vote with their feet. Our housing situation in particular is out of sync with any level of lifestyle expectation and that leads to frustration right at the very point where young people should be inspired and optimistic. If employment ambitions are skewed towards affording basic shelter, this not only fails to inspire but can send people hurtling towards dead-end jobs. A worrying trend is access to higher education in 1991 there was relative equality of university entrance between students from wealthy and poor families. Today, there are three times more students from wealthy families than there are students from poor backgrounds. We have to give young people not only hope but the ability to meet expectations. For that, there needs to be a holistic, long-term view. Outlining the constraints that Hong Kong has, over time, placed upon its own development, Dr Smith enumerates some major problems as: difficulties of rezoning; unacceptability of development in country parks; contradiction of sustainable development if moratorium restrictions are lifted; reluctance to reverse the small house policy2 and the controversial nature of large-scale reclamation.All these combine to indicate a general unwillingness in the community to accept the trade-offs necessary to increase land supply for housing.
... a city that can be shared and enjoyed, not merely laboured in just to get by. This is what will give young people a viable future.
When asked whether there is cause for optimism, he said, ...I have to be cautiously positive, but I would feel rather more optimistic if I saw a coordinated strategy and consensus at work to make the city environment better, rather than simply to meet targets. He believes that a necessary component in this is the important role to be played by the Pearl River Delta in its burgeoning relationship with Hong Kong. It offers available land for regional services such as hospitals, schools and colleges; major new high speed transport infrastructure; and the potential for such things as retirement housing.
Peter Cookson Smith 40 Smith 10 50
Dr Peter Cookson Smith is Immediate Past President of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners and Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design. He founded Urbis Ltd, a Hong Kong specialist planning, urban design and landscape consultancy, in 1977. He is a member of the Strategic Development Commission.
Notes 1. Land on Hong Kong Island has been sold to private purchasers since 1841. With the exception of the land for the St John's Cathedral at Garden Road, Central, which was granted freehold, all land has been sold on a leasehold basis... The purchaser of the land, [is] required to pay to Government a premium, reflecting the current value of the land. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_rent_in_Hong_Kong 2. The Small House Policy was introduced in 1972 in Hong Kong. The objective was to improve village housing supply in the rural parts of the New Territories. The Policy allows an indigenous male villager who is 18 years old and is descended through the male line from a resident in 1898 of a recognized village in the New Territories, an entitlement to one concessionary grant during his lifetime to build one small house.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_House_Policy
12
Youth write
he reports in this section have been contributed by members of the Young Planners Group of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners. They ask how close we are to achieving an affordable property market, how livable is our city, whether rezoning can release adequate land supply and how the consultation process is tackling the issues.
Affordability and the housing ladder

Despite the recent introduction of measures to cool housing prices in Hong Kong, the affordability ratio has been alarming. Propelled by low interest rates and strong housing demand, prices have risen continuously since 2003 and have now surpassed the 1997 peak. Indeed, Hong Kongs property market has experienced a roller-coaster ride for the past three decades. It started a sustained upward trend in 1983 and hit a peak in October 1997. Then it plunged 70% due to the Asian financial crisis and suffered another strike in 2003 with the outbreak of SARS. According to the Ratings and Valuation Department, current prices have now surpassed the 1997 peak by over 15%.
by Edwin Tang
First there are planning considerations, such as land use, infrastructure, transport, employment opportunities and community facilities. Second, the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome causes complaints about the effects of building more public housing, with more people impacting on the living environment and more people using public transport and other local services. NIMBYism is part of human nature and there will always be this kind of opposition, both from local groups and from district councillors. Given the current political climate, the government cannot simply adopt an iron fist approach to push forward policies. Policymakers need to think and act outside the box while taking the aspirations of the community into consideration. Proper local consultation and dialogue with stakeholders is essential. Moreover, simply providing enough public and private housing, and meeting housing targets is not enough. For the sake of building a better future for the younger generation, the government should consider other aspects at the planning, design, and implementation stages. For example, are new flats big enough? Are the units affordable, and is the surrounding environment enjoyable?
ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/kwloo/5563147187/
by Wilson Loo h
Luxury apartments for sale: 200-400sq ft

Since 2011, smaller-size residential properties have seen the highest price increases and in 2012 alone, the average price of apartments smaller than 400 sq ft and those between 700 sq ft and 1,100 sq ft rose by 25%. As of today, the average price of flats measuring 400 sq ft and 700 sq ft to 1,100 sq ft is about HK$11,000 and HK$14,450 per sq ft foot, respectively. Hong Kong may be branded as a livable city, yet ironically, property prices and rents are no longer affordable for the general public. Some private developers are offering for sale so-called luxury apartments with a gross floor area of just 200-400sq ft. The price of these units is so high that they would cost most of your life-times monthly salary in mortgage repayments. Arguably, the tight supply of new housing and the failure of housing policy have contributed to these steep price rises, but why is it that the Hong Kong government cannot provide adequate and affordable housing for its citizens?
Controversy and conservation

There is also the question of maximal use of land. If the government continues to turn a blind eye to existing problems related to housing, the quest for land and subsequent flat construction will be endless. Most importantly, a comprehensive implementation plan to resolve controversial issues should be carefully undertaken by the current government instead of passing on unresolved issues to the next one. Last, I want to express my point of view on building in the country parks. This will destroy natural resources. Once Hong Kong's natural features have gone, it will be impossible to re-create them. Can you imagine the US government suggesting turning parts of Yellowstone National Park into a housing development?
Nimbyism in consultation
It is true that the government is now trying to address the affordability issue by increasing the supply of public and private housing. However, no dramatic increase in supply is expected in the near future and it is becoming more and more difficult to meet housing needs.
13
Youth write
Livability and neighbourhood in housing

Many young people want their own flat but before rushing into the property market I suggest we all think twice, because it could drag us under for decades. Instead, we should ask ourselves, What kind of dream home do I really long for?
by Louis Cheung
If we consider neighbourhoods only as a physical bundle of spatially based attributes, I think Hong Kong would have to be one of the worlds best cities. Its comprehensive, convenient, efficient infrastructure and functional residential estates are the pride of Hong Kong.
Pollution problem
Livability is of the utmost importance and among 49 Asian cities covered by an Economist Intelligence Unit study in 2012, Hong Kong ranked third, just behind Singapore and the Japanese city of Kobe. Livability has been defined as the degree in which the environment in the neighbourhood connects to the conditions and needs of the inhabitants. Such factors as the environment, social cohesion, facilities and integration are all important. However, when we consider air pollution, Hong Kong is one of the worlds least livable cities, ranked alongside Cairo and Mexico City. It is also one of Asias most smogshrouded cities, with air quality that ranks just behind Beijing and New Delhi. A 2010 survey by the Clean Air Network, a local environmental group, even indicated that one out of four Hong Kong people had considered leaving the city because of its poor air quality.
Participation and engagement

We may have a splendid metropolitan area, with excellent hardware, but the software, or views of the people, have been largely disregarded. To get this on the right track, we should not only boost the rate at which the housing supply is increased, but also underscore the participation rate of people in the planning process. If we could achieve this planning approach, I, personally would not mind waiting for another decade to own my flat, because then there would be a chance that I could find the dream home I have been looking for.
Livable cities
Hong Kong is the best city in the world, according to the winning entry in a competition devised by the Economist Intelligence Unit and BuzzData, a datasharing company. A Spatially Adjusted Liveability Index was used in the ranking, based on green space, sprawl, natural assets, cultural assets, connectivity, isolation and pollution. The other factors were stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Hong Kong came out top, followed by Amsterdam and Osaka, the only other Asian city in the top 10.
Source http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2012/07/city-rankings
Neighbourhoods and space

Apart from livability, pleasant neighbourhoods are also important. Professor Galster, an American urbanist, defined neighbourhoods as a bundle of spatially based attributes. These include the layout of streets, public spaces, local schools and convenience stores. They are associated with clusters of homes, sometimes in conjunction with other land use. The definition also recognizes the importance of neighbourhood characteristics when choosing where to live.
14
http://www.flickr.com/photos/question_everything/3727907620/
by Let Ideas Compete
Youth write
Rezoning, redevelopment and conversion
by Mathew Fung
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericwonghk83/2284334591/
by ericwonghk83
The Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee has proposed tackling the supply-demand imbalance by increasing the supply of housing in a proposed ratio of 60:40, public/ private. A supply-led strategy is necessary to achieve this in the short-to-medium term and rezoning of unused government land and brownfield sites plus conversion of industrial sites for residential use are some of the possibilities. According to the 2013 Policy Address, there are 36 potential government sites and sites zoned as Government, Institution or Community (or so-called G/IC zones) which are intended for community support facilities such as hospitals, schools, libraries, and so forth. Among them, 16 have been identified for possible rezoning for residential use or are undergoing town planning procedures for rezoning. If this rezoning goes ahead an estimated area of 27 hectares will be available for the building of about 11,900 public-private residential flats. However, this plan has already run into difficulties.
Adaptive re-use challenged by regulations

Hong Kong has about 17.1 million square metres of high-rise flatted factory space, much of which is underused or used for non-industrial purposes such as offices, storage or artists studios. Overseas, such buildings have been converted into homes, revitalizing degraded parts of cities by adaptive re-use. However, very few conversion applications in Hong Kong are approved and most conversions have been transformations into offices, restaurants, shopping centres or hotels. Some examples can be found in Wong Chuk Hang where the picture above was taken.
Source http://www.civic-exchange.org/wp/20131101scmp/
Protests and mistrust

For example, the Planning Department proposed the rezoning of the former Lee Wai Lee campus next to Hong Kong Baptist University. On the day the proposal was put forward to the Town Planning Board for discussion, hundreds of students protested and over 25,000 public objections were received by the Planning Department during the statutory public inspection period. This broke the record for the number of representations ever received by the Planning Department for a single case. Not only is such rezoning failing to find public support, it is generating mistrust of the administration and is seen as a form of collusion between private developers and the government.
Flatted factories for conversion

An alternative is the redevelopment of former industrial sites for residential use. The Planning Department has recommended 16 such sites for the release of 30 hectares and 13 sites have been approved. 14,600 housing units could be built if the redevelopment goes ahead. However, such redevelopment takes time. To provide a faster supply of housing, the conversion of old flatted factories has been suggested since it is widely known that some of these are already being used illegally for cubicle homes. However, the cost is considered prohibitive and such conversion has been declared unfeasible by the Development Bureau Building regulations or ordinances preventing it and this will hamper progress.
15
Youth write
Citizen power in decision-making

Disputes over housing and planning matters have become heated in recent years, stirring up not only arguments but social unrest. In the face of this kind of challenge, the government has repeatedly highlighted the importance of communication. To facilitate consultation between decision-makers and the general public, elements of public engagement were introduced to the statutory planning system in 2004. A wide range of engagement activities including public forums, planning workshops and surveys are now common for largescale development projects. Yet, instead of facilitating the development process, failures to reconcile divergent public opinion often cause delays in decision-making. Arnstein's Ladder of Citizen Participation may help to give a clearer picture of the current situation. (See Figure 1). One of the crucial ideas behind this model is to relate public participation to the extent of citizen power in decisionmaking. In the case of Hong Kong, most public engagement programmes and events do not result in the delegation of ultimate decision-making power to the stakeholders involved. Public opinion is sought openly, but there is no guarantee of what, or to what extent, opinion will be heeded. According to Arnsteins ladder, in Hong Kong we are at level 4 (consultation) or 5 (placation) where public participation is perceived to be a form of tokenism, a symbolic gesture performed by decision makers to pacify public aspirations. Although it would be an overstatement to claim that Figure 1: Ladder of Citizen public participation in Hong Participation Kong is pure tokenism, the lack of transparency in the postCitizen Control 8 engagement decision-making process is a major source of Delegated Power 7 mistrust. From my limited experience in planning with Partnership 6 the community, a genuine Placation 5 consensus-building process should be inclusive, interactive, Consultation 4 transparent and continuous.
by Kate Kwok
planners to contribute expertise and knowledge. In turn, professionals acquire valuable local knowledge in this mutual learning process. By collecting public opinion and reflecting it in design proposals for further engagement, the public can continuously provide input until the stakeholders involved largely agree on all the elements. Through this process, mutual learning and trust can be gained, fostering a sense of belonging and a willingness to implement plans together. There are always new, creative ways to engage the public in community planning matters, but without genuine consensus-building, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to reach a compromise among conflicting interests. Without such compromise, reaching a shared vision and enhanced social cohesion for Hong Kong as a whole will be intricate and daunting.
Kate Kwok is an Assistant Traffic Engineer at MVA Hong Kong Limited. She did a
BA in Geography and an MSc in Urban Planning, both at the University of Hong Kong.
Louis Cheung is a Planning Assistant with the Planning Department, HKSAR

Government. He did a BA at the University of Hong Kong and an MSc in International Planning at University College London.
Mathew Fung completed an MSc in Urban Planning at the University of Hong

Kong before working for the Planning Department for two years.
Edwin Tang works for the Urban Renewal Authority. He did a BSc in Urban
Planning and Management at University College London and an MSc in Urban Planning at the University of Hong Kong. Edwin Tang, Louis Cheung and Mathew Fung are the three Co-Chairmen of the Young Planners Group under the Hong Kong Institute of Planners.
(left to right) Kate Kwok, Louis Cheung, q Mathew Fung, Edwin Tang
www.facebook.com/hkypg
Citizen Power
Tokenism Nonparticipation
3 2 1
Informing Therapy Manipulation
While inclusiveness and transparency are essential to trust-building, interaction between professional planners and the general public allows
16
Source Arnstein, Sherry R. "A Ladder of Citizen Participation," Journal of the American Institute of Planners, Vol. 35, No. 4, July 1969, pp. 216-224.
Think twice
M
r Marco Wu Moon-hoi, Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Society, worked in the governments housing sector for more than a quarter of a century and is sometimes known as the Father of the Home Ownership Scheme. He is now a member of the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee and gave his personal advice to the students who wrote the essays on the next two pages.
Perspective
The Hong Kong Housing Society

With the influx of refugees soon after the Second World War, the population of Hong Kong grew rapidly. Many lived in very poor conditions. The Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) was the first major public housing agency in Hong Kong. It was founded as an independent voluntary agency in 1948 with 15,000 donated by the Lord Mayor of London's Air Raid Distress Fund to the Hong Kong Social Welfare Council. The aim was to provide homes for families in need. Some of the older HKHS developments such as Healthy Village Estate in North Point, and Lai Tak Tsuen in Tai Hang (pictured in this section), still stand. HKHS is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year and takes pride in the nick name of the Housing Laboratory which comes from efforts to provide different types of housing solutions.
Healthy Village Estate, a former squatter area developed by the Hong Kong Housing p Society (1965)
Lai Tak Tsuen, an award - winning design by the Hong p Kong Housing Society (1975)
17
Perspective
Understanding the finances

by Amanda Xiang There was a story in the news some time ago about a young couple who wanted to buy a flat. One was a lawyer and the other a doctor, but they could not afford to buy a small place to live in. What should such young people do, realistically, if they want to buy property, and when should they do so? taking on the responsibility of a homeowner involves all of these and can mean 40-50% of household income to cover the mortgage repayments. However, Mr Wu is confident that the Chief Executives policy means that subject to the communitys consensus, more land will be found and better quality housing can be built for future generations.
Go carefully
Mr Wu replied that there is no sure advice about the best time to buy. He suggests that young adults like those in the example might want to work out their home ownership plan carefully. They should consider whether they are buying property for investment, as a place of shelter, or a home from which to derive personal enjoyment. Whichever their goal, he says he would expect them to understand the finances involved.
Do your sums
Psychological preparation for downturns and upturns is essential, for changing market prices, for increasing interest rates and for fluctuating employment prospects, as well as the future possibility of trading up in size of flat according to changing needs. Mr Wu says
Hong Kongs Home Ownership Scheme

From the late 1970s, the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), now managed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority, has had two aims. First, to encourage better-off tenants of public rental flats to vacate for re-allocation to families in greater housing need when they could afford a flat of their own. Second, to provide an opportunity for home ownership for families who were unable to afford private sector flats. Under the scheme, the government sells flats to eligible public housing tenants and low-income residents at prices below the market level. Discounts are usually 30-40%. Resale of the units on the second-hand market is restricted to other families who qualify, unless a premium is paid equal to the updated value of the discount given on the original purchase. Since its implementation, 350,000 HOS units have been sold and 200,000 public rental units had been returned for reallocation. Mr Wu worked on the HOS from its inception.
p By Wong Wing-hei
18
Amanda Xiang
Form 5, St Pauls Convent School
Perspective
Plotting the way home

by Helen Cheung Although most young people today are enthusiastic about the idea of owning their own flats, some go into the rental market. Is this a good idea? Mr Wu gave an example from his family. My elder son moved into his own apartment a few years after graduating from university overseas. To begin with, we were surprised. He had his own room at home. But he wanted to be independent and we understood that.
Put independence on hold if necessary

However, many young people, even young couples, cannot afford it. They have no alternatives, said Mr Wu. In fact, for many of them it is also difficult to afford a subsidized House Ownership Scheme flat (see box). Some applicants declare a low income and very small assets. The only reason they apply is because they have financial support from family members. Long-term feasibility needs to be taken into account, whether young people decide to buy or rent. I have seen young people moving out of the family home in order to live in a 3x6 sq ft subdivided flat. Can they really be happier there? Mr Wus advice is to be forbearing and save enough to enter the housing market later. Until then, Why not learn to be more tolerant with parents. Is it so difficult? asked Mr Wu, smiling. But then he added, Maybe I only ask that because I am a member of the older generation.
Take responsibilities seriously

Fluctuations in the property market present another problem. How would you feel if you bought a flat, the value of which dropped and left you suffering from negative equity? Mr Wu asked. He said that young people must think twice and take their future financial responsibilities seriously, allowing for uncertainties about job security and unpredictable movements in property market values. The ultimate reason for buying a home of your own, apart from having a roof over your head, is to enjoy it and be happy, he says. Young people should assess affordability carefully before becoming home owners. Otherwise, they can end up with a very heavy financial burden. Comprehensive planning is needed. But in the long run, your dream can come true, as long as you plot your course carefully.
Helen Cheung
Form 6, Wa Ying College
19
Insight
Housing mobility:
transition and change

Living in Domestic Households
Living alone Living with parent(s) only Living with spouse and/ or child(ren)
ay Forrest and Yip Ngai-ming are members of the Urban Research Group at City Universitys Department of Public Policy. They work together on young people and housing. Youth Hong Kong asked how cultural and economic trends affect attitudes to leaving home, sharing flats and becoming independent.
Others
Public rental housing
Subsidized home ownership housing
Living with spouse and/or child(ren)
Others
Public rental housing
Subsidized home ownership housing
Living with spouse and/or child(ren)
Others
Age group 15-19
Age group 20-24
Delaying marriage and staying on with parents has become common among Hong Kong youth. Which factors are contributing? YHK Traditional cultural values are reflected by the average, middle class Hong Kong family. Young people are expected to stay with their parents. Its considered normal. Only a minority move away. However, the reasons behind the trend are practical. For most, its too expensive to move and many find staying at home very comfortable, both psychologically and economically. It costs nothing compared with renting on the open market. This has changed since I was a student. Yip Ngai-ming
There are parallel cultural values in Ray Forrest European countries, like Greece and southern Italy. Its common for young people to stay longer at home there too and it has always been that way. Just like here, most young people think family ties are important. Notions of reciprocity prevail.
20
Its not always young people themselves who apply for public housing. We understand that its often done by their parents. Its a form of free insurance.
Insight
For my age cohort, going to university marked a turning point. I moved out Many find staying at home very into student accommodation and I didnt want to move back. I acquired a taste for independence. But I came comfortable, both psychologically from a large family with a cramped home. Today, staying and economically. on at home with parents means having more space and more comfort. And todays students dont enjoy the collective life on campus, where they have to share with was like-minded. Maybe young people are more picky a roommate they never met before. here. The current cohort of young people is more diversified, especially if they have been overseas. Their In our recent survey*, 86% of the young points of reference change. Ray Forrest people interviewed said they would take care of their parents, and 73% said their parents would But when they come back, their behaviour Ray Forrest take care of them. We asked the young people if they has not changed. Living together as a were happy to live with parents and 95% said yes. couple is also uncommon. If there were lots of flats Three-quarters said it gave them more disposable suitable for young people to share then youd get more income. But when we went on to ask if they could people living independent lives. You might also stop the afford to live anywhere else the answer was no. The birthrate falling so fast. opportunity cost of moving out is very high, so they take a pragmatic approach and stay on. Then you have to consider practical Yip Ngai-ming aspects, like the size of flats and the The generations work out how to get number of bedrooms. If you share a flat with a partner Yip Ngai-ming along together, how to be tolerant and and then have a child you need another bedroom. Its avoid conflict. After all, young people here have had two easier to find a 2-bedroomed flat than a 3-bedroomed to three decades of practice in complying with authority! flat nowadays, especially in the private sector, but the But its not a simple issue. A combination of family ties market is very difficult for young people to enter. and social pressure is also at work. In one case we studied, a young woman and her parents agreed it would Do you think that achieving economic YHK be good idea if she had her own flat, but all the other independence and leaving home is more relatives asked, Whats wrong with you? Dont you get difficult here because of exceptionally unstable on with each other anymore? property prices and high rentals? Yip Ngai-ming In other expensive cities, young people who want their independence share rented flats. Why is that so rare here? YHK We are exploring this phenomenon. My son moved out even though it meant sharing small flat in Hong Kong and sharing is certainly economically feasible. Look at the prices people pay for sub-divided units. They could get together and share something better. However, it seems more common on the mainland than here. According to our survey only 10% of young people in Hong Kong ever think about sharing a flat with friends. Ray Forrest We refer a lot to dependent independence nowadays. So many young people are dependent on the financial resources of parents, especially in Hong Kong where parents have done well out of the housing market. Young people may want to be more independent, but actually they are more dependent, especially when it comes to buying a home. It means help with down-payments has made family obligation more important than ever. With this can come resentment. Ray Forrest Yip Ngai-ming
Now, the norm is that after marriage you are expected to be independent. This is a definite shift of cultural norms. 79% of the One explanation is that there are so young people we surveyed thought they would have to Yip Ngai-ming few people available as flatmates. My move out if they got married or lived with a partner. But daughter wanted to move out but found nobody suitable where would they go? to share with. She wanted to share with somebody who
21
Insight
Figure 1
When asked about renting, almost half said the government should provide subsidies to help them rent on the private market. 70% said there should be more Home Ownership Scheme flats, 72% said they would be happy to live in public rental housing, and over 72% thought the rules for allocating public housing should be relaxed. Ray Forrest Living in public rental housing here does not carry the stigma it does in other countries. Is that why so many young people are applying for it? YHK In fact, its not always young people Yip Ngai-ming themselves who apply for public housing. We understand that its often done by their parents. Its a form of free insurance, a cheap option for the first step on the housing ladder, because with public housing you can apply for a Home Ownership Scheme flat. You can see application forms being handed out at university orientation programmes by senior students as well. Its not widespread but it does happen. The earlier you get on the waiting list, the better chance you have. Why not save while you pay cheap rent and think about buying later. Ray Forrest At present, the long-term housing Yip Ngai-ming strategy proposal suppresses the concept that young people need independent housing. The response is, Why encourage them to leave their families? But its natural to want independence when you grow up. Now they have no choice. I say, Why should they be forced to stay? They may never get equal priority with the needy, but they should have a less unequal chance. Even then, there would need to be Ray Forrest privileged routes into home ownership if young people were to benefit. There are never going to be enough subsidized flats to satisfy demand. NGO schemes could facilitate sharing, which would teach social skills and enable young people to become more independent. We have to ask, are we really so short of resources that these factors cannot be considered?
I am happy to live in the public rental sector.
Disagree 10%
Strongly disagree 1%
Strongly agree 11%
No feelings either way 17%
Agree 61%
The rules for public rental housing should be relaxed.
Disagree 9%
Agree 20%
Strongly agree 53%
More youth hostel accommodation should be provided.

Disagree 6% %
Strongly agree 38%

Agree 25% More Home Ownership Scheme flats should be provided.
Disagree 8%
Agree 21%
Strongly agree 52%
*Note The survey referred to in this dialogue is part of ongoing research funded by the Hong Kong SAR Government Research Grants Council. 1,008 interviews were conducted in the first part of the survey. It is the source of statistics in Figure 1. [Decimal points in the tables have been adjusted and in some totals are not 100%.]
22
Ray Forrest, formerly of the University of Bristol, is Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Public Policy at City University of Hong Kong. Yip Ngai-ming is a professor in the same department and a registered social worker and housing manager. Together they have recently published Young People and Housing: transitions, trajectories and generational fractures. (Routledge, 2013.)
Youth watch
City living
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ne of the hardest things about living in a big city is finding accommodation, so how do the young fare in some of the major cities around the world? These statistics and tables give some indicators.
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There are many young adults and students from overseas living in London. They normally live in privately rented accommodation or, where students are concerned, may live in housing provided by their college or university. Sharing a household is common. In 2011, 6.8% of all households in the city consisted of two or more people who were unrelated. The average median age of people in such households was 25. At that time, London had the highest percentage of renters, accounting for 50.4% of households, in the region and only 19.7 % of all young adults lived with their parents*, the lowest percentage in the country.1 Nearly a quarter of all people in London rent their accommodation in the form of subsidized, public, or social housing.** While 88% of young people in Britain aged 18-30 want to own their own home in 10 years time, 51% of those currently renting thought that they would not be able to achieve this.2 About 33% of new property bought by foreigners in London is for student childrens use.3
Notes *See pages 26-27 for more figures on young adults who live with parents. ** Social housing refers to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination.
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The City of New York has launched a pilot programme to build micro apartments of 275300 sq ft in Manhattan catering to small households and solo living. In New York as a whole there is a shortage of 800,000 studios and one-bedrooms suitable for single people on a budget.4 Based on the 2010 census, the New York City Housing Authoritys public housing represents 8.2% of the citys rental apartments and is home to 4.9% of the citys low-income population.5 A study found that young adults, aged 18 to 34, feel its acceptable to live at home with their parents for as long as five years after graduating.6 Singapore houses more than 80% of its residents in Housing Development Board (HDB) public housing but these flats are not available to young single people under 35. Singaporeans can buy 99-year leases on the properties and sell later at market prices.7 Residents who apply for a 99year lease on a new flat must wait an average of three to four years, and generally have to be married. Those over 35 may buy a HDB flat on the open market under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme. A first home grant of S$30,000, available to couples or families with lower incomes who want to buy an HDB resale flat, encourages them to buy.8 In Singapore it is common for young adults to live with their parents until they marry.
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In Taiwan the traditional multihousehold family appears to remain popular.9 The trend for newly married couples to live with family is rising as are housing price to income ratios. Taipeis property prices jumped by 50% in the past four years despite the economic downturn. Groups have been formed to lobby for housing affordability and protests have been held.10 The official home ownership rate is about 88%. However, given that some individuals own more than one property, the home ownership rate does not directly translate into the number of households owning a home.11 Taipei will begin offering young people public housing in 2014.12
Shanghai/Beijing
Pro-homeownership policies and housing reforms have created some problems for young people on the mainland as housing prices have soared.13 According to the same source, a 2011 survey of youth in larger cities found 38% had bought communal courtyard housing, 23% were living at home, 22% were renting, and the rest were either living in dormitories or welfare housing or buying affordable housing. Among renters 61% lived alone, while 26% shared, and the rest rented as a group. More than 66% said they would not rent a flat if they were married, while only 33% would get married if they did not own a flat. Affordability is a problem, causing 25% to postpone marriage, and 21% to delay having children so they could save money. Many college graduates have been forced to leave Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou so they can buy homes in cheaper cities. Young civil servants enjoy housing subsidies, but the majority in state-owned enterprises and collective enterprises do not.
Macao
The average selling price of housing has quintupled in the seven years since 2004, outpacing the inflation rate and wages.14 Rents have also increased. In a 2008 survey of 18-40 year olds nearly 70% or respondents lived with their parents, more young people wanted to buy rather than rent their homes. In 2010 more than 72% of people lived in private housing. Macaos public housing system includes low-rent social housing and a governmentsubsidized Home Ownership Scheme. In 2009 28% of those waiting for HOS flats were 18-24, while 47% were 25-34. At that time, the SAR government introduced two schemes to help first-time buyers an interest subsidy on mortgage loans and a credit guarantee programme to help facilitate financing for home purchase. These proved successful. However, Macaos land supply problems cause severe shortages, prices soared 50% this year alone and cooling measures have failed.15
Figure 1 Approximate cost of renting/ buying a one-bedroom flat near city centre
Ranking
City Singapore London Taipei New York Beijing Macao Shanghai Vancouver Toronto Tokyo Bangkok
Purchase HK$121,490 /sq m HK$99,770/ sq m HK$79,030 /sq m HK$69,890/ sq m HK$62,460 / sq m HK$57,000/ sq m HK$56,930 /sq m HK$54,170/ sq m HK$47,930/ sq m HK$43,170/ sq m HK$27,480/ sq m
Ranking
City
Rental (Per Month)
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Hong Kong HK$135,510/sq m
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
New York
Singapore London Hong Kong Toronto Vancouver Shanghai Tokyo Beijing Macao Taipei Bangkok
HK$21,900
HK$21,810 HK$18,800 HK$15,100 HK$11,130 HK$10,390 HK7,690 HK$7,530 HK$6,330 HK$6,000 HK$5,010 HK$4,990
24
Source http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living

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Home ownership by younger people has fallen. In 2008 only 11.7% of owner occupiers were 25-29, and 46.5% 35-39. 80% of those 25-29-year-olds who leave home live in single rental dwellings. Cohabitation among non-married couples is uncommon, but rising. However people are marrying later or not at all.16 Some young people are beginning to share houses with others. A Tokyo agent that rents share houses said it had 25 in 2000, but by 2011 this had risen to 982.17 Additional kinds of housing, especially for unmarried people, include boarding houses (which are popular among college students) and dormitories (common in companies). Many Japanese companies also maintain their own apartment buildings where young employees live when they first start working.18 In Tokyo many young people use geki-sema, or share houses to sleep and store their possessions. They share communal washing facilities and rooms sometimes arent large enough to stand up in.
Toronto and Vancouver

In Toronto 56.3% of young adults still lived with their parents in 2011. In Vancouver it was 46.7%.19 One million women and men in Canada in their twenties lived with non-relatives, such as roommates, lodgers or boarders (11.6%), lived alone (9.2%), or in other arrangements (3.2%).Toronto has subsidized housing for lowincome families including rentgeared-to-income units as well as rent supplements and housing allowance units in cooperatives, private non-profits, supportive housing, Toronto Community Housing buildings and private market buildings.20 The Vancouver Housing Authority provides housing opportunities to those with barriers through a variety of housing programmes for families, seniors, and special needs individuals.21
Sources 1. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-censusanalysis/a-century-of-home-ownership-and-rentingin-england-and-wales/short-story-on-housing.html 2. http://www.ippr.org/images/media/ files/publication/2012/12/no-placehome_Dec2012_10017.pdf 3. The Economist. 9 November 2013 4. http://www.policymic.com/articles/30541/i-love-younew-york-city-but-your-rent-prices-are-too-damn-high 5. http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/ html/about/factsheet.shtml 6. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/stigmarents-roof-young-new-yorkers-returninghome-mom-dad-article-1.1429059 7. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/economy/ housing/2011-03-15-Singapore-public-housing.htm 8. http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10321p.nsf/ w/BuyResaleFlatCPFGrantFamily 9. Li, William DG. Living arrangements of young adults in Taiwan. in Forrest, R & Yip, NM. Young People and Housing. Routledge , 2013. 10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20779609 11. http://english.taipei.gov.tw/ ct.asp?xItem=53783762&ctNode=8472&mp=100002 12. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/ archives/2010/04/14/2003470538 13. South China Morning Post. 20 November 2013. P1 14. Zhu, Yapeng, Youth housing problems in China. in Forrest, R & Yip, NM. Young People and Housing. Routledge, 2013. 15. Zhang, Y & Lai, Rose N. Journal of Youth Studies January 2012, Volume 15, 158-173. 16. Hirayama,Yosuke.Housing and generational fractures in Japan. in Forrest, R & Yip, NM. Young People and Housing. Routledge , 2013. 17. http://www.japantoday.com/category/ kuchikomi/view/more-young-people-trycommunal-living-in-share-houses 18. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_in_Japan 19. http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=77 20. http://www.housingconnections.ca/ 21. http://www.vhausa.com/Housing_Programs.html
Figure 2 Affordability and homeownership rate of various cities
Ranking (2010) City 1 Hong Kong 2 Shanghai 3 Seoul 4 Bangkok 5 Singapore 6 Tokyo
Notes Amounts correct as of 31 October 2013
Affordability (2010) 22.72 20.68 16.29 15.96 14.35 11.64
Affordability (2009) 21.19 18.08 14.35 10.5 21.29 19.75
Homeownership Rate (2010) 52 % 80 % 52 % 56 % 89 % 45 %
http://www.ricsasia.org/newsDetail.php?id=305&regionID=0 Sometimes called the Price-to-income ratio (PIR), the ratio can be calculated. See http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/houseafford/houseafford.html for a sample calculator.
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Youth watch
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In 2006, according to a Federation poll, 74.8% of young people aged 18-34 were living with their parents.1 Over a third said they were short of money, 9% said they wanted to be looked after, and 7.5% said staying on with their parents helped them to save. By 2010, according to a subsequent Federation poll, 62.6% of young people in a larger age group of 18-39 year-olds were living with their parents.2
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Youth watch
Key to the door

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5268/5598186310_490a51fb35_o.jpg
A state of semi-autonomy
Full-time work usually comes after post-secondary education, and the rising costs of tuition, especially for Hong Kongs self-financed degree programmes, have great impact on life plans. This trend was explored in a 2013 report by HKFYG on financial pressures on tertiary students caused by debt from government loans for tuition fees.3
Many young people partially support themselves as they move through higher education. They linger in a state of semi-autonomy in their 20s, combining support from their families with earnings from parttime work. In the 2013 HKFYG study, over twothirds of tertiary students with government loans were working an average of 34 hours a month.4 It has become more common for young people to go back and forth from independence to dependence as economic necessity dictates. However, in Hong Kong, young people tend to stay with their parents longer simply because of the lack of availability of appropriate housing. This prolonged family dependency and slow transition to adulthood is a process rather than a clear-cut event, and can be stressful, especially, when that dependence overstretches limited resources.
Parents and young people alike have to cope with conflicts and lack of privacy.5 Yet social norms, material and educational factors, plus the degree of freedom and the level of harmony, also play a large part. In this respect, Hong Kong is no different from other developed economies, despite cultural variations, and the keys to adulthood in the city fit into a complex matrix of factors, just as they do worldwide.
Not only Hong Kong

In a large-scale European Union survey of youth, completed in 2007, 62% of respondents lived with their parents.6 The authors say, There seems to be a strong correlation between perceptions of material opportunities to become independent and the desire for autonomy. In Britain, three million 20-34-year-olds currently live with their parents.7 In Canada in 2011 42.3% of young adults aged 20-29 were still living at home.8 New US figures, based on a survey of 75,000 households, show that, 36% of young adults aged 18-31 ... were living in their parents homes ... the highest share in at least four decades. 9 As in Hong Kong, contributing factors were rising enrollment in higher education, declining marriage and lower numbers at work, but a substantial number here also continue to receive support from their parents even after they begin working.
Sources and further reading 1. HKFYG Youth Study Series 36. A Study on Economic Dependence on Family among Young People in Hong Kong, II, 2006. 2. HKFYG Youth Study Series 45. A Study on Economic Dependence on Family among Young People in Hong Kong, II. 2010. 3. HKFYG Youth Study Series 49: The Daily Needs and Financial Pressures of Young People with Government Loans, 2013. 4. http://yrc.hkfyg.org.hk/news.aspx?id=19067596-d3f6-4c46-a507-0cf3a45c3720&corpname=yrc&i=2527 5. For more on parent-adolescent conflict, see HKFYG Youth Research Centre poll survey. Current Youth Issues Series No. 2. July 2013. 6. Biggart, A. Families and Transitions in Europe. European Communities, 2007 http://cordis.europa.eu/documents/documentlibrary/100124161EN6.pdf 7. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/family-demography/young-adults-living-with-parents/2011/young-adults-rpt.html 8. http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=77 9. Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/08/01/a-rising-share-of-young-adults-live-in-their-parents-home/
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by Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
How do you define adulthood? Being responsible for your own choices and decisions, being financially independent, completing education and working full-time - all are very important. Marriage and parenthood, on the other hand, are no longer considered defining markers in many parts of the world. But leaving home to set up an independent household is accepted universally as a significant step in growing up. For many it also involves the freedom to come and go from the parental home, as they feel fit.
Youth Hong Kong | December June 2013 2013
Youth speak
Living tales of a crowded city

a contribution from Education Post
ith a limited supply of flats and more people wanting to buy them, Hong Kongs property prices have become among the highest in the world. Young people who have relatively low incomes and little in terms of savings find it extremely difficult to find a reasonable place to live. Sue-kan, a young house housewife and Kit, an ambulance crew member, give stark evidence.
Many young people in their 20s are crammed in with their parents, sometimes even after they have started their own families, and those who are still single may find themselves confined in a subdivided unit. Having a place to live is a basic necessity, but for many young people it now seems more like a far-fetched dream. For example, Sue-kan and her husband are both in their early 20s and she gave birth to their daughter in 2011. After hoping and waiting for a public housing unit for two years, Leung is now staying in her mothers apartment in Tin Shui Wai. Three months ago, getting an apartment of her own took on added urgency when she gave birth to a son. Right now, we have nine people living in a two-bedroom apartment, Leung says. Our family of four occupies one room, my elder brother, his wife and two daughters stay in the other, and my mother has to sleep in the living room.
Nowhere to put anything

The lack of space is a major annoyance for Leung and the rest of her family. The rooms are small, the toilet is small, the kitchen can fit no more than two people, and half the space in the living room is taken up by the sofa, she says. Our home is so small that I dont dare buy clothes and toys for my children because there is nowhere to put them.
The rooms are small, the toilet is small, the kitchen can fit no more than two people, and half the space in the living room is taken up by the sofa.
by Matthew Pang Wai-chun
28
Youth speak
Photos courtesy of Education Post, KY Cheng/SCMP
Leung says her daughter often fights with her cousins for space to play and that has affected relations with her brother. If we had more living space, our family relationships would definitely be better, she says. There would be fewer arguments about whose kid can play in the living room. While the children have to compete for space to play, the adults are also struggling to manage under the same roof. Every morning there is a queue waiting to use the toilet and, in the kitchen, to cook breakfast, Leung says. Things get tense over everyday things such as going to the bathroom and eating breakfast; it is insane. As for the chances of buying a flat, Leung says she darent even think about it. It is impossible for us. With my husband being the sole breadwinner and with two young children to raise, all I can hope for is a public housing apartment. I dont really mind which district I am assigned to. I just want an apartment of my own as soon as possible.
university studies. A further HK$2,000 goes to his family and, taking account of day-to-day expenses, that leaves him with just $5,000 a month. I am very careful with my spending, he says. I have no expensive electronic devices, do not go on overseas trips, and am planning to save around HK$60,000 a year. A quick look at property agency Centalines website shows the cheapest flat available is a 228 square foot (saleable area) apartment in Yuen Long. The asking price is HK$2 million. To buy it, Kit would need a first instalment of HK$600,000 - the equivalent of 10 years saving at his projected rate. Allowing for annual pay rises based on years of service, it might take him a few months less than that to reach the down payment at todays price for the cheapest available apartment. I am not sure what the price will be in 10 years time. If property prices continue to go up, there is nothing I can do. If I were to get married, with our combined income, it might shorten the time to save up for the first instalment. If I stay single, I will just continue to rent a subdivided unit so I can save as much as possible. As a member of the disciplined services, Kit is entitled to quarters, but he does not hold out much hope on that score because there is already a decade-long waiting list. I am not upset about not being able to apply for public housing, he says. I think a lot of people need it more than I do, but it is clear that the government is not providing enough public housing. Kit adds that it is common for the government to give retired members of the disciplined services a public housing unit so they have somewhere to live after leaving their government quarters. But in recent years, the keen competition has resulted in these retirees continuing to stay on in quarters because they cannot get public housing. The queue stopped because nobody is moving out, he says. I heard that it takes 14 years for married couples with children to get quarters. I have no idea how many years a single man like me will have to wait.
www.educationpost.com.hk
The cheapest flat available is a 228 square foot (saleable area) apartment in Yuen Long. The asking price is HK$2 million. Not much hope
Even someone with a stable government job and a respectable income the usual key to becoming a property owner like can find it difficult to get a foot on the housing ladder. Working as a member of an ambulance crew, 27 year-old Kit (his given name) has a monthly income of around HK$18,500 long way over the HK$9,347 upper income limit to apply for public housing but he knows that getting into the private property market is a long and winding road. Each month, Kit has to spend HK$3,500 on rent and HK$2,000 to repay a government loan for his
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Youth Speak
by Ada Chau
Over 70% of our respondents were aged 21-30 and over 90% lived with parents. 70% of them wanted to move out and find a flat of their own. The same number said they wanted to move when they got married. 62.5% said that even if it was difficult to move, they could not stay on with their parents and have children. Privacy and space issues were at the forefront for over 85% of them. These points all bore out our expectations.
A way out
When asked about other acceptable options, nearly 71% said they were prepared to move overseas, both to live and work. This response echoes a hot topic this autumn, when there were several reports that many young people would choose to emigrate for a better life. The phenomenon is backed up by official figures. According to Taiwan National Immigration Agency statistics, the number of Hong Kong immigrants has been on the rise with 632 applying for immigrant status in Taiwan in September alone. This is six times the usual average.1
Fig 2 Which options do you find acceptable? (more than one answer was possible)
80% 70% 60% 50% 40%
Ideal home
Hopes for an ideal home were less predictable. Our respondents ideal flat size was on average around 700sq ft whereas the actual size of their current homes was only 480sq ft on average. Over 50% of them preferred, in an ideal world, to buy a flat on the private property market while around 20% wanted a subsidized ownership arrangement because of the lower overall price. However, 12.5% of respondents were very pragmatic and said that their ideal home was actually public rental housing, because it is so much cheaper than any other option.
Fig 1 What type of housing do you most want, and why?
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
70.83%
41.67%
45.83%
54.17%
30% 20% 10% 0% Hostel Flat-share Move overseas to live and work
4.17%
No reply
20.83%
12.50%
Public rental Subsidized ownership
8.33%
Private rental Privately owned
4.17%
No reply
More than 83% of respondents said they didnt need financial help from their families to enable them to move out, but they did expect to have saved well over HK$400,000 on average in order to make the move.
Although strict statistical sampling was not used for this mini-survey, we found the answers conformed to the expectations we had gathered while preparing this issue and confirmed the perspectives of other young people interviewed. We hope this small survey helps to give readers a clearer understanding of the prospects youngsters face, the options as they see them, and their underlying preferences.
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1. The Sun. 5 November 2013. http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20131105/00407_086.html
by Alan Cleaver
he Youth Hong Kong team conducted a small-scale, indicative survey to see whether our ideas about young peoples plans for future homes away from parents matched reality. Here are the results.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4439276236/
t Moving on, u o moving
Talking Point
Affordable housing a proposal for young buyers
r Shih Wing-ching is co-founder of the Centaline Group and publisher of AM730, one of the citys free newspapers which features his daily column. Two students asked for his expert advice on the property market at a point when prices have peaked, a big correction is due and there is a long waiting list for public housing.
(left to right) Tiffany Ip, Mr Shih Wing-ching, Mindy Li
Dont follow the trend

Most teenagers in Hong Kong have not even begun to think about finding a place of their own. So the question of whether to rent or buy or how to choose between public or private housing has not yet crossed their minds. However, with adulthood just around the corner, it is time to think about decisions. Where should one start? Following everyone else is definitely not the best way to go. To help in making these lifechanging calls, we sat down with Mr Shih Wingching who gave us some very helpful insights.
This is not a good moment for young first-time buyers.

Onto more pressing matters. Should we buy or rent. Mr Shih told us that we should not only consider our budget but also the state of the economy at the moment when we make a decision. Buying a flat means paying more up front, but it also means security and may bring capital growth. On the other hand, although rent may be lower than monthly mortgage repayments initially, inflation is likely to push it up in due course. If one is able to afford the down-payment, Mr Shih suggests that buying is normally preferred, as long as one has confidence in the economy. However, he stressed that this is not a good moment for young first-time buyers. For them he has a plan (see box). Buying a flat is a big step to take in life. Take a moment to think before you decide. Ask yourself, are you doing this because you want to, or because you have been told to? Be independent and be your own person! Mindy Li
17, St Stephens College
Public housing out of the question

In recent years, youngsters have bombarded the public housing waiting list, even though the original concept was to provide affordable homes for lowincome households. The fact that youngsters want public housing as well has brought countless difficulties for the government. Hong Kongs youth should be a little more considerate and give way to those in need. In other words, public housing is out of the question for young people. We all agreed on this point.
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Talking Point
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
Figure 1, Affordability Index 1994 - 2013
Consider the Hong Kong dollar peg

The Hong Kong dollar was pegged to the US dollar in 1983 to stabilize currency movement. However, because of the recent financial crisis, the US Federal Reserve lowered interest rates and introduced quantitative easing. These measures had a direct effect on the Hong Kong dollar which devalued together with the US dollar. Interest rates were also pushed down due to Hong Kongs lack of autonomy. All these factors had a cumulative effect on the property market here. When asked if Hong Kong should consider unpegging from the US dollar, Mr Shih suggested that a strong government might consider doing so.
Prices up around the world

A greater supply of money has meant an inevitable inflow of investment into the property sector here. Since the supply of money rose so quickly the supply of property could not keep pace, and property prices rose as well. The inflow of cash, argues Mr Shih, does not contribute to the real economy because property investors are often speculators. As an international financial hub, Hong Kongs economy is susceptible to such external factors, including foreign exchange, speculation and investment.
A proposal for young would-be home owners

Mr Shih has suggested to government that a supply of land be set aside for first-time buyers, with 50% of flats built on it designated for young people. The flats would be small, 500 sq ft or less, probably in the northeast New Territories, and they would be sold at market prices. One condition of purchase would be that re-sale would be only to other first-time buyers.
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This strategy would avoid depressing the entire property market and it would solve the problem of affordability for young people. In the meantime, Mr Shih says, Young people should suppress any desire to buy till they have saved enough. Dont waste money on rent. Till you are in a good position to buy, stay with your parents.
9401 9408 9503 9510 9605 9612 9707 9802 9809 9904 9911 0006 0101 0108 0203 2010 0305 0312 0407 0502 0509 0604 0611 0706 0801 0808 0903 0910 1005 1012 1107 1202 1209 1304 Year - Month
Source: Centaline 2013
About 55% of local people own property, 60% have already paid off their mortgages, and less than 10% of those waiting to buy a flat are first-time buyers
However, the trend of increasing property prices is not unique to Hong Kong. It is ubiquitous in other cities such as London, New York and Berlin. Many ordinary people have bought property in recent years due to the rising prices, and Mr Shih believes it would be unfair to them if governments intervened to push property prices down. However, in Hong Kong, increased stamp duties have cooled the market for all except first-time buyers. At present, about 55% of local people own property, 60% have already paid off their mortgages, and less than 10% of those waiting to buy a flat are firsttime buyers so the numbers are not huge. In order to avoid a deteriorating situation for them, Mr. Shih proposed designating an earmarked supply of land where housing development would be at market prices. These in turn would be determined by affordability. (See box and Figure 1). Tiffany Ip
18, Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong
Profile
Feet on the ground:

a star Hong Kong pupil
L
YHK
ast summer, Terry Tsz Cho-ho achieved 5** in seven exam results at the Federations HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College. He is now a medical student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His childhood was on a public housing estate and his holidays were spent on working to pay for his books.
What are your future plans?
My dream since secondary school has been to become a doctor. In the past, a promising future career and a steady income might have been enough motivation. I have always been interested in science, especially the medical field. However, now I have a sense of mission and I want to lend a helping hand to others. I also think I have the ability to do so. Thats why I decided to do a degree in medicine.
YHK
Terry Tsz (second from right) with his school's current principal, p Ms PL Lee, his mother and his school's former principal, Mr Henry Poon.
Do you have any role models?
YHK
So you see your future mainly in Hong Kong?
I do try my best to appreciate others and learn from them but nobody is perfect. I would rather observe the different strengths people have, think critically and objectively, and then learn from the best of them.
YHK
Hong Kong is my homeland where my life began. I think that giving up Hong Kong would be the last thing I would want to do.
YHK
Would you like to go overseas to do a further degree or to work?
What are the main attractions of life in our city for you?
HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College

12 Tin Kwai Road, Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long, New Territories Tel: 21461128 Email: hlc@hlc.edu.hk Website: www.hlc.edu.hk
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http://www.bartleby.com/107/Images/large/image442.gif
I do not think overseas study is a suitable path for me. As I have mentioned, my aim is to help others, especially local people, as soon as I am able to. Furthermore, the shortfall in public hospital doctors is very severe and should be overcome by all possible means. Considering all these factors, I predict that I will stay in Hong Kong and devote myself to work in local hospitals.
Primarily, the reason I want to stay in Hong Kong is that I grew up here. Despite the many changes affecting Hong Kong, from the landscape to the shift in atmosphere in society, every bit of my memory is in Hong Kong. It is a very valuable and lovely place for me.
City space
Home

away from home

19 year-old K, for example, got on badly with his parents before moving to WLR. He was always arguing and irresponsible so they kicked him out. K didnt do well at work either, always switching from job to job. At WLR, he broke all the rules to begin with and was nearly thrown out there too. But the staff gave counselling and he started to change. Hi relationship with the other young people at WLR changed too and he became more positive and responsible at work. When he left WLR, the staff went to see him at home and a social worker helped the family understand one another again. It was so good to see them getting on well. For more information about the Wing Lee Residence go to ycpc.hkfyg.org.hk call 2915 5532 email wlr@hkfyg.org.hk
he Wing Lee Residence opened at Number 7-8, Wing Lee Street, Sheung Wan in August 2012. It gives refuge to youth in their late teens and early 20s when problems at home mean they need somewhere to stay for a while. The hostel is close to the business district and convenient for work and study, but it offers more than just a place to stay.
As well as having room for 12-14 young people, the Wing Lee Residence (WLR) runs counselling, volunteering, self-enhancement and job training support services. They include photography, cooking, and hospitality workshops. Reports from young people have been very positive with most participant-residents saying their communication, job and life skills improved a lot and they were more optimistic about their future.
By the age of 21 Dick was still fighting with his younger brother so he came to WLR to make a break, even though he was still at college. He always kept his WLR room clean and tidy and was regular in his habits. But he didnt talk to people much. WLR staff invited him to join classes and workshops. These gave him the life and career skills he needed. Gradually, Dick became more outgoing and WLR recommended him for work at the HKFYG Organic 21 caf as a waiter. He did the job well and is now renting his own flat and living independently. Now and then we see him at WLR and he tells us about his life. Its such a change from the Dick we first knew.
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City space
Recycling at work
by William Wong Environment Officer, HKFYG
e know Hong Kong is running out of space for landfills. The existing ones will be exhausted by 2020. With no immediate solution to our waste problems, where can our waste go?
The networks set up by HKFYG almost a year ago have had a remarkable effect with a 6-fold increase in recycling in the first six months.
The amount of solid municipal waste accumulating in Hong Kong has reached critical proportions. Generated by the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors, two thirds of the total sent to landfills comes from households. At least the plastics and paper can be recycled, and Environmental Protection Department (EPD) community-based collection programmes for recyclables began a few years ago. Last year, EPD launched an environmental education programme, setting up Community Collection Points which are supported by HKFYG with Community Recycle Networks at its Youth SPOTs. People who live nearby bring recyclables, such as plastic and glass bottles, and small electrical and electronic equipment, that would otherwise go to waste. In this way they earn stamps which can be redeemed for household goods.
Six months of recyclables collected by HKFYG 325kg clean, empty plastic bottles 450kg clean, empty glass bottles small waste electrical and electronic equipment Products that can be redeemed ball point pens folders cotton towels cutlery sets toilet paper scrubbing sponges noodles rice 180kg
It was so encouraging to see how promotion at the Youth SPOTs, messages from Green Youth Volunteers Teams, and housing estate promotion exercises reached more and more people, resulting in more and more recycling. People who took part got useful tips about waste reuse, recycling and waste reduction at home and were very glad of the stamps to reduce their daily expenses.
Where does recyclable waste go? Kowloon Bay Material Transfer Centre (KBMTC) Tuen Mun EcoPark
The ongoing programme also gets youngsters involved. As volunteers, they collect recyclables and learn about recycling with estate residents. This increases environmental awareness for everyone and acts as a catalyst for community participation. They say how meaningful it is to be part of a sustainability project which exists for the sake of society and the environment.
Join in! If you have any unwanted waste plastic bottles/ glass bottles/ small waste electrical or electronic equipment please take them to any HKFYG Youth SPOT Collection Point. Opening hours and further details http://gogreen.hkfyg.org.hk/ Save our planet, support GoGreen activities now!
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HKFYG
Neighbourhood First
Musical on Air
he Federations musical, Neighbourhood First! will go on air in April 2014, hosted by RTHKs digital radion channel. The musical is all about an old squatter area and the way its residents changed when they went to live in a new public housing estate. Youth Hong Kong found out from members of the production team who are in their 20s what was special about the programme and how the story related to their own lives.
Nowadays, you shut your door and spend all your time in your own flat, in privateno chance to get to know each other.
Christy Tsoi, the project coordinator, describes the story. Its about an old Hong Kong squatter area, rife with problems, like gambling and drugs. Still, people there were good neighbours, like my parents, who also used to live in those old wooden shacks. It all changed when they moved into public housing on a resettlement estate. Some people missed the good old days even if the environment was better. In the radio show we will focus on the contrasts between old and new and the way the community works. Christy worked for Bloomsberg live TV, radio, and as an English teacher before she joined the staff at the Tin Yiu Youth SPOT. Her former students took part in the original stage production of the musical. I always wanted to work on a project like this, all of it is young-people oriented and I would like to be a
mentor for them. She says that she thinks the hardest part will be the transformation of the script. A radio broadcast script is so different from a stage script. Without visual aids, you need to use sound effects only to express everything, set the scene, let the audience know the time frame and so on. All of these are challenges, but they are the most interesting part as well! Chau Wong, introduced by Christy to be a voluntary production team member, pointed out that the design of older residential buildings in Hong Kong meant that there was much more shared public space where people gathered, like washrooms, kitchens and on the roof. The very fact that people had to share space with neighbours meant that relationships grew. Nowadays, you shut your door and spend all your time in your own flat, in private. You dont have much opportunity to meet
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HKFYG
your neighbours. I live in public housing in Northern District and I know none of my neighbours. We dont have the same habits, we meet infrequently and so there is no chance to get to know each other. Greyish Ho does voluntary artwork for the project. A resident of private housing in Tai Kok Tsui, she says she used to know some of her neighbours but the turnover is high. She lost contact with the ones who moved and hasnt had time to get know to the new arrivals. When I was in secondary school, my school was near old housing estates, I saw that people didnt close their doors in those days. When a family finished dinner, another would bring soup to share with them. We have lost this kind of relationship now, even in the public estates. People have changed too much. In the old days, people trusted each other more. Neighbourhood is exactly what we need nowadays and this production serves as a reminder. I dont meet many people in my daily life, and I think joining in with this production will mean I meet many, gaining valuable experience which will help me understand what other people think.
Louise Lau Kaiyam, the volunteer producer, lives in a private apartment in Lai Chi Kok. Frankly, I barely know my neighbours. Living in Hong Kongs old housing estates must have been more like living with family. Everyone was more friendly and more likely to help each other. But I think the society is changing and the pace of life has also changed. People keep moving house too which makes it more difficult and to maintain relationships within a neighbourhood. Louise enjoys doing voluntary work, especially to gain professional experience. Besides, although I am quite familiar with TV production, radio is new to me. Im looking forward to the fun of working on a young peoples project like this too. Karen Ho Yinyee, one of the volunteer script writers, found out about the musical from her friend, a social worker. After working at ATV, on Roadshow and in a production house she wants
to learn about radio production, but it was the story behind the musical that most attracted her. This kind of situation is meaningful for Hong Kong people. It reminds us about neighbourliness, the friendships that grew in the old housing estates, and how people loved living there. I live in To Kwan Wan, and I know none of my neighbours. Ki Yan-yan, another volunteer script writer, has a different home background. She knows five families living in the same building in Wong Tai Sin with her. Some are relatives and others are my old school friends families so this topic really interests me. The old housing estates may have been inadequate but by sharing the daily hassles of living there neighbours created a stronger bond which reflects some essential ideology and ways of living in Hong Kong. Surely, there is something we can learn from and reflect on when we look back.
RTHK Community Involvement Broadcasting Service has given funding for the production of the musical for radio to four HKFYG Youth SPOTs. There will be an RTHK facilitator, a pool of youth presenters and a young cast. It will be produced in 13 episodes. Contact Jolene, tel 2445 5777, for more details or go to neighbourhoodfirst.hk.
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Internetscope
Eats
genes
apps
http://www.flickr.com/photos/felipeskroski/394645164/sizes/o/in/photostream/
and
greens
by Felipe Skroski by DigiDreamGrafix
oo much food of the wrong kind makes you overweight. In this, Hong Kong is no different from anywhere else. Apps can teach young people about good eating habits in a fun way and knowing about genetic influences can raise awareness.
pq Value for money?
20.9% of Hong Kong students are overweight, up from 16.4% 15 years ago 60,000 of the citys 300,000
primary school children are obese
82.0% of Hongkongers aged 18 - 64 eat less

than 5 servings of fruit/vegetables daily
87.0% are male and 77.8% female

Source Hong Kong Behavioural Risk Factor Survey, 2012. http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/9/25/8802.html
Confronted with so many food choices, so much advice on health and so many warnings about the dangers of neglecting ourselves, what can parents, teachers and youth do? Dennis Ai, the 22 year-old son of American Chinese parents who were originally from the mainland, has some answers. He became overweight by eating junk food and was made fun of at school. So he started exercising, counting calories and reading everything he could about nutrition. Next he invented a free to download app game. Then he started marketing it and winning awards, like Michelle Obamas End Childhood Obesity Innovation Challenge.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/digidreamgrafix/10493625214/
Weighty matters
Internetscope
Called Jungo, Ais mobile game, takes 6 to 11 year-olds through a series of levels to rescue a sacred cookery book. They gather healthy food and create recipes on the way. Some of the ingredients exist in the game world. Others are in the real world and have to be found, photographed and uploaded as virtual ingredients. Its really difficult to preach to kids about eating a nutritious diet, but through this role-playing game, finding and eating healthy food becomes fun, says Ai. The game will encourage parents to have these foods around where their children can find them.
More information at http://www.avatargeneration. com/2013/03/jungo-anti-childhood-obesity-game/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankjwolf/4944976188/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybjorg/2599444004/
by Franklin Joseph
by Cybjorg
Blaming genes, eating greens

A gene called FTO probably makes people plumper by increasing the temptation to eat mouth-watering, high-calorie foods and failing to dampen hunger after meals. Its not that simple though. There are two kinds of FTO. People with two copies of one kind are 70% more likely to become obese than those who inherit two versions of the other type. Researchers in London have pinpointed a hormone called ghrelin, known to stimulate appetite.1 Those with the plump-making gene variant have higher levels of it pumping through their veins after meals.2 On the other hand, many obese people build up resistance to the appetite-suppressing hormone called leptin. There are ways of limiting the effects of FTO: exercise and a protein-rich diet. Both suppress production of ghrelin. Another hormone, leptin, is also thought to regulate it. A team in Sweden has discovered that exercise also alters the way genes work in tissues that store fat. It can change the way fat is stored, and make storage in the liver or pancreas, where it causes damage, less likely.3 On the other hand, food labelling and packaging may not help. If food is labelled healthy people tend to eat more of it, and if packaging is green people may assume the contents is healthy!4
Eating Madness is another award-winning game for kids, based on an idea from a 9-year-old. Choose a boy or girl to play, enter your age, height and weight to get your BMI, then start eating! Choose healthy food you need, avoid unhealthy foods, and use water bottles to stop you overeating. Then earn special powers which help you go up a level. Each level is a meal, and after three meals and a bonus level, you advance to the next day. Make it through a whole week to win. Pick Chow! lets children create meals by dragging and dropping foods onto their virtual plate. The Add it Up! meters show the nutritional values and rate each meal with one to five stars. Children can send their chow to parents via email with healthy choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the recipes and even a shopping list and coupons!
More about both at http://appsforhealthykids.challengepost. com/submissions/6140-eating-madness
Further reading about genetics and obesity on the web 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghrelin 2. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23869-obesity-gene-makes-you-fat-by-keeping-you-hungry.html?full=true&print=true#.Um4v_3CBnwo 3. http://health.heraldtribune.com/2013/08/26/how-exercise-changes-cells/ 4. http://www.care2.com/causes/study-people-eat-bigger-portion-sizes-when-the-food-is-labeled-healthy.html
39
Internetscope
cratch is a wildly popular educational programming language used by millions of first-time learners in classrooms and homes worldwide. It is a digital sandbox that everyone can use for free, developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab's Lifelong Kindergarten Group, with financial support from the US National Science Foundation (NSF). By Edmond Hui
LEAD with Scratch

By simply dragging and dropping coloured blocks, young people aged eight and up can create interactive stories, games, animation, music, art, and presentation. In the process, they learn mathematical and computer concepts that are important for creative thinking, logical reasoning, problem solving, and collaborative skills. HKFYGs Learning through Engineering, Art and Design, popularly known as LEAD, is a collaborative partnership with the MIT Media Lab. LEAD introduced Scratch to Hong Kong in 2005, at its beta stage. Since then, LEAD has localized Scratch for the education sector, organizing hundreds of hands-on workshops and activities for young people and teachers. These are usually conducted by LEAD trainers at convenient locations such as schools, the 21 HKFYG Youth SPOTs and the Jockey Club LEAD Centre. Scratch events have also taken place during major jointschool competitions and education exhibitions. In 2011, Scratch Day Hong Kong had the honour of breaking the Guinness World Record for the greatest number of participants designing digital games. Scratch Days are organized by LEAD with the MIT Media Lab on a regular basis. They provide opportunities for Scratchers to meet and talk about what they learn. In 2012, LEAD was also invited by the Shanghai China Odyssey of the Mind Association to organize a Creative Education Forum and Scratch Workshops for educators in Shanghai. By providing interdisciplinary learning activities and incentives to make systemic changes in curriculum design, LEAD helps enhance students technological literacy, and encourages teachers to collaborate with them. At the time of writing, hundreds of schools in Hong Kong have incorporated Scratch into school activities and curriculum, benefiting thousands of students.
40
Internetscope
Scratch Books
Super Scratch Programming Adventure! : Learn to Program by Making Cool Games
LEAD worked with the US publisher on this updated English version in full-colour comic book style when MIT Media Lab launched web-based, fully revamped Scratch 2.0 software. Packed with ideas for games that young readers will be proud to show off, the book makes a very good first step for the budding programmer. No Starch Press: 2013. ISBN: 978-1593275310 Price: US$24.95
ENGLISH AND CZECH EDITIONS Super Scratch Programming Adventure! Learn to Program By Making Cool Games Worldwide and growing
Scratch is used in over 150 countries today as a teaching aid in mathematics, English, music, art, design, and information technology. More than 1,500 animations and games are uploaded by the Scratch online community daily. Children love using the colourful icons which represent the sequencing and logic of computer code. An upcoming version for use with the iPad is suitable for kindergarten to Primary 3. Its called Scratch Jr. Stay tuned. Scratch is coming your way soon. This English translation is a best seller on Amazon, with more than 15,000 copies sold already. No Starch Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-1593274092 Price: US$24.95 Having captured attention in the US it went on to be translated into Czech as Programovn pro dti Computer Press (Albatros Media), 2013. ISBN: 978-8025138090 Price: CZK269
THREE BOOKS ON SCRATCH IN CHINESE
For more information about LEAD, Scratch, or any of these books, Call Edmond Hui tel 3106 0600 email edmond.hui@hkfyg.org.hk web lead.hkfyg.org.hk
Easy LEAD Programming Scratch Magical Forest HKFYG: 2009. ISBN: 978-9881840622 Price: HK$58
Easy LEAD The Scratch Musketeers HKFYG: 2010. ISBN: 978-9881840820 Price: HK$100
Easy LEAD Family Fun with Scratch HKFYG: 2011. ISBN: 978-9881968920 Price: HK$80
41
HKFYG
From sea to gleaming sea
isit HKFYGs newly refurbished, extended and upgraded Jockey Club Outdoor Training Camp, in Tai Mong Tsai, a few miles beyond Sai Kung, for a taste of the best.
a pearly morning, the world still p asleep
a solitary watcher looks down p on the creek
a glimpse from a room p
with a view of the bay p
A night or day camp in Hong Kongs New Territories is something you and all the young people in your life will never forget. With the completion of the Phase III Redevelopment of the HKFYG Jockey Club Outdoor Training Camp in Tai Mong Tsai it is within your grasp. New accommodation will come into service in the near future bringing the total number of beds to 460.
42
HKFYG
and adventure waiting in the p wings to play
down on the dock, girls build p with bamboo
and half an hour later p what hullaballoo!
while the kayakers ready p
and steady, and go q
all hands wait to catch a teammate from below q
Facilities include
Sky Garden Gymnasium, Lecture theatre Swimming pool, Slipway for water sports BBQ Court Restaurant and cafe
T
Adventure activities include

Canoeing Rafting Pioneering Sport climbing Abseiling High wall Orienteering
Ya n Yee R o
Charges
Full board: overnight stay per person with 3 meals Off-peak From HK$164 Peak periods* From HK$184 per person *every Saturday; public holidays and the previous day; 1 June - 31 August Day camp: per person including lunch Off-peak From HK $58 Peak periods* From HK$63 *every Saturday and Sunday; public holidays 1 June - 31 August Want to know more? Visit web http://otc.hkfyg.org.hk/ or call 27922727
ad
M
g Tsai on
ai
Ro
Tai Mong Tsai Buses 94,96R,698R
ad
HKFYG Jockey Club Outdoor Training Camp
43
HKFYG
HKFYG Museum
T
he HKFYG Museum of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups will not only showcase stunning Chinese artefacts, but also aims to serve as a learning environment for young people to increase their knowledge of and appreciation for the beauty, tradition and historical significance of these wonderful pieces. The exhibits, including Chinese jade carvings, some of which date back as far as the Neolithic period, as well as figurines, pottery and porcelain from various dynasties, have very generously been donated by Lisas Collection, Mrs. Cheung Chung Lai-sheung and many other collectors. The Museum positions itself as a bridge between the past and the future. This is reflected by its focussing on young people in particular, encouraging them to get involved in the various exhibitions and activities that will be hosted and promoted by the Museum. They will learn about preservation of ancient Chinese art, while also exploring and developing their creative and artistic talents. The Cultural Oasis series will also invite experienced scholars and collectors, as well as up and coming young artists, to co-organize exhibitions and wwconduct sharing sessions every month.
Museum visits
Application form: museum.hkfyg.org.hk Send to partnership@hkfyg.org.hk
Opening hours in 2014

First Wednesday of every month (except public holidays) 10:00 am noon; 2:00 pm 4:00 pm Group visits by appointment only Contact Brenda tel 3755 7103, for details Visits and use of audio guide free of charge
44
HKFYG
The Hong Kong Youth
Service Award
n November this year, The Hong Kong Youth Service Award was presented for the first time. The recipients were Bonnie Tang Manlam, Calvin Lam Wai-ho, Emmy Li Yuen-mei, Clive Lee Ka-lun and Wayne Chau Pui-por. Presenting the awards was Mr CY Leung, Chief Executive of the HKSAR. Professor Joseph JY Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong delivered a keynote address.
(left to right) Bonnie Tang Man-lam, Calvin Lam Wai-ho, Emmy Li Yuen-mei, Clive Lee Ka-lun & Wayne Chau Pui-por
Bonnie Tang Man-lam began by mobilizing CUHK classmates to visit supermarkets, restaurants and banquet halls to collect leftover food for redistribution to the homeless. Now a member of the Steering Committee of the governments Food Wise Campaign, she has set up a non-profit organization called The Leftovers which promotes food collection and education on food waste. It links primary and secondary schools in the effort to not waste food. Calvin Lam Wai-ho a radio programme host, makes the very best use of media. He is one of the initiators of The Commercial Radio Road Co-op Volunteer Team, such as organizing taxi drivers to sell flags for charity. Calvin has also helped raise more than HK$500,000 for victims of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami and encouraged over 1,000 people to make nearly 10,000 paper cranes and cards as symbols of friendship for the people of Japan. Emmy Li Yuen-mei uses her skills to help the poor and the elderly and carries out cataract surgery as a voluntary service for the elderly. As an ophthalmologist, her service to the community is through public education and preventative health care. Her Eye care, I care campaign focuses on school children, encouraging them to take care of their eyes. She has also worked with the Community Chest of Hong Kong to initiate a regional Depression Relief Project helping those suffering from depression to regain their physical and mental health.
Clive Lee Ka-lun trained as an engineer. As he sees it, Hong Kong is a key player in todays globalized world and if the city wishes to retain its premier position, then young people must develop broad horizons and an international perspective. He helps to provide opportunities for young people to learn from overseas exposure and hands on experience and encourages them all to participate in his Envision Hong Kong programmes for community service. Wayne Chau Pui-por came to Hong Kong from an impoverished mainland village as a young boy. He coped with his disadvantages with a tenacious spirit, ready to take on any obstacle. Since he arrived in Hong Kong, he has devoted a third of his time to voluntary work and sets an example to others facing similar challenges. As the founder of The Outstanding Givers Association Limited, he promotes parent and child volunteering efforts, including serving the homeless.
The Hong Kong Youth Service Award, an initiative of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, was established in order to honour, acclaim and encourage outstanding young people who, through their commitment, dedication and integrity, exemplify the true spirit of service to the community. They brush colour into Hong Kongs future and give encouragement and support to a new generation committed to serving others.
More information http://leadership21.hkfyg.org.hk/page.aspx?corpname=leadership21&i=5871&locale =en-US Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HKFYG.YSA
45
Very
HKFYG
Hong Kong
Photo Competition
winners!
n the course of just one day, with video cameras, mobile phones and digital cameras, young people captured the very essence of Hong Kong. On these two pages we bring you the winning results. Other photos submitted by entrants can be found in various sections throughout this issue, and on the cover.
The award ceremony of the CoCreate Hong Kong Very Hong Kong Photo and Short Film Competition was held on 30 November at the HKFYG Jockey Club Media 21. More than 400 young people joined the competition and ten winners of the Photo Competition were chosen by professional adjudicators. One extra was voted the winner online. Here are the eleven winners.
p Tang Chi-f ai
p Tang Chi-fai
p Matthew Pang Wai-chun
p Chiang Chien-tai
p Wong Wing-hei p Stanley Lau Tsz-yeung
p Leung Wai-yum
46
HKFYG
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust was the Major Sponsor of the Very Hong Kong Photo and Short Film Competition. The event was partnered by Proudly Supporting HK Our Home and the Very Hong Kong Festival Foundation Association.
Major Sponsor
Media Production
Proudly Supporting
Partner
p Ip Ching-yi
p Sin Yau-ting
p Law Yu-sum
p Alan Law
For more details, please visit Photos: http://m21.hk/cocreatehk/photo_result.php Videos: http://m21.hk/cocreatehk/video_result.php contact CK Chow tel 3979 0040 email ck.chow@hkfyg.org.hk
47
On the agenda
Cambridge exchange
by Rachel Yiu
achel Yiu, a 4th year medical student at the University of Hong Kong, was at the Cambridge Science Summer School in 2013. It was her first visit to the UK and an eye-opening experience. She came back with many lessons learned.
It was a great honour to spend two months at such a prestigious university. To begin with I felt rather hesitant for fear of making mistakes. Gradually the freedom I had been given empowered me and the people around me gave me courage. "Supervisor, can I ...?" "Why not give it a go and see?" "I am sorry for making such a silly mistake..." "It happens. Just don't repeat the same mistake twice!" I learned the importance of independent, logical thinking, as well as sharing knowledge and ideas, relishing in flexibility, harnessing it, and letting ideas grow and flow. Apart from bench work, there were fascinating lectures by eminent scientists plus the bonus of meeting them socially in the Cambridge pubs, at receptions, and barbecues. I was so surprised at how approachable great scientists could be.
Famous names, famous sayings

One day I recognized Sir John Gurdon, famous for his work on stem cells and a Nobel laureate. He was at a lecture I was attending, given by Sir Greg Winter, another renowned scientist recognized for his pioneer studies in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. How privileged I felt. And yet that day I heard Professor Gurdon reminding us that "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
Another valuable feature of the Summer School was the network of peers and friends I made. We shared a love of science, and these supportive companions gave me immense encouragement. Over those two months, Cambridge nourished me well and yet reminded me to stay hungry, to stay young and foolish. Now that I am back in Hong Kong again, I ask myself how I feel about those eight weeks in Cambridge. Instead of missing the freedom I treasured there I question myself: "Why am I learning this? Why am I doing that?" Here, spoon-feeding is normal rather than freedom, and this has made me start asking myself how to apply what I am spoon-fed. Perhaps, if I want to make the world a better place, it is not so much how I learn but how I apply what I learn that matters. Definitely, the Cambridge Summer School was an experience of a lifetime and will remain one of my best memories of university life.
Cambridge nourished me well and yet reminded me to stay hungry.
48
On the agenda
Looking after the disadvantaged
ollowing up on the September issue of Youth Hong Kong, a group of students from HKFYGs Hong Kong 200 Leadership Project reports on voluntary work they initiated on behalf of poor children, and University of Hong Kong lecturer, Ms Heidi Hui, writes about the needs of the intellectually disabled.
Action Day for Child Poverty

"Awareness" was the keyword on Action Day for Child Poverty, organized by past participants of Hong Kong 200. They formed themselves into three groups for Social Campaign, Direct Service and Policy Advocacy. The Action Day took place on 5 October in Wong Tai Sin Temple Square. The Social Campaign groups aim was to inform the public. Thematic stalls, symbolic performances, creative poetry and touching songs were the main features. Among the stalls was a replica of one of Hong Kongs notorious subdivided flats. The aim was to give visitors a taste of what it must be like to live packed tight in a tiny space when you have no alternative. Another colourful activity involved creating a floor sculpture with mooncake boxes. The students also collected discarded objects and put them on display. They will be donated to poor children. Another stall invited passers-by to write blessings and promises on pieces of old cloth. They pledged help for poor Hong Kong children, ranging from donations to volunteer work. These small pieces of cloth were then sewed into a large patchwork. It will go on display this Christmas. The action did not end on Action Day. The Direct Service group is following-up with community activities while the Policy Advocacy group is proposing policy measures to ameliorate the lives of children in poverty. One example is their proposed Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for Children. Fares represent the fourth largest item in all household daily expenditure but poverty
p Blessings and promises on pieces of old cloth
prevents many poor children from travelling anywhere outside their home district, their options narrowed and their horizons blinkered by their circumscribed circumstances. If the proposed policy is adopted by the government, the financial burdens of their families will be significantly reduced and their world will grow. 1,321 signatures were collected from general public in support of the proposal and subsequently members of the group promulgated their message with government officials attending Federation events, such as the Policy Online dialogue at M21 with Mrs Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary of the Administration.
Mooncake boxes spell Children in Poverty (CIP)
49
On the agenda
Dont forget their very special needs
a letter from Heidi Hui, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, HKU
n the last issue of Youth Hong Kong, the special educational needs of children and youth with disabilities were discussed. However, the housing needs of those who are intellectually challenged are rarely addressed, either by the government or the general public. These needs deserve our attention as well as the housing issues and needs of youth and public in general.
Allow them to live with dignity.

People with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual disabilities (ID), need housing too, and according to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), they should have the right to live independently and be included in the community. Those with physical disabilities are generally quite well cared for by relevant government and non-government organizations, just as the senior citizens are. Some are allocated a housing unit by the Hong Kong Housing Authority whereas senior citizens in the middle-income bracket can avail themselves of purpose-built housing at affordable prices in Hong Kong Housing Society developments such as the Senior Citizen Residence Schemes Cheerful Court and Jolly Place. However, the accommodation needs of people ID are sorely neglected, especially if they are severely disabled, their parents or guardians have died, or when they grow old themselves. There are ways to improve the quality of life of such people, allowing them to live with dignity, just like other citizens. First, the government could launch a public housing scheme for people with ID similar to that provided by the Housing Society for senior citizens. They could be made available to purchase for those who can afford it. The main objective of the scheme would be to integrate housing and the services needed by such intellectually disabled people. The scheme could be non-institutional in nature, consisting of self-contained flats with health and medical care services, as well as leisure and cultural facilities, nearby. For those with ID who cannot afford such accommodation, the government should provide institutional medical and health care services. For those with ID whose parents or guardians want to live with them, the government should provide home-care services, subsidies or community support services. These will not only encourage families to take care of relatives with ID, but also can relieve the demands placed by the rest of society on Hong Kongs housing supply.
50
http://www.flickr.com/photos/valdemarne/9180517029/
by UNISDR
Photo by Chan Man-kit, Very Hong Kong Video and Photo Competition entrant
Publisher : The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups www.hkfyg.org.hkwww.m21.hkwww.u21.hk Youth Hong Kong: 21/F, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, Hong Kong Tel : 3755 70843755 7108Fax : 3755 7155Email : youthhongkong@hkfyg.org.hkWebsite : youthhongkong.hkfyg.org.hk
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Yhk 5.4

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a quarterly journal from the hongkong federation of youth groups

Photo by Alan Law

MEDIA PARTNER Education Post

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

There is frustration and a deep sense of helplessness.

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

There is widespread agreement that sacrifices will have to be made.

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

(left to right) Chun Yu Yiu, Professor Anthony Cheung, Michelle Sum

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

Prices, demands and problems

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Inequalities, inequities and inadequacies

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

Peter Cookson Smith 40 Smith 10 50

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Affordability and the housing ladder

Luxury apartments for sale: 200-400sq ft

Controversy and conservation

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

Livability and neighbourhood in housing

Participation and engagement

Neighbourhoods and space

by Let Ideas Compete

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Rezoning, redevelopment and conversion

Adaptive re-use challenged by regulations

Protests and mistrust

Flatted factories for conversion

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

Citizen power in decision-making

Louis Cheung is a Planning Assistant with the Planning Department, HKSAR

Mathew Fung completed an MSc in Urban Planning at the University of Hong

Informing Therapy Manipulation

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Housing Society

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

Understanding the finances

Hong Kongs Home Ownership Scheme

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Plotting the way home

Put independence on hold if necessary

Take responsibilities seriously

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

transition and change

Public rental housing

Subsidized home ownership housing

Living with spouse and/or child(ren)

Public rental housing

Subsidized home ownership housing

Living with spouse and/or child(ren)

Age group 15-19

Age group 20-24

December 2013 | Youth Hong Kong

Youth Hong Kong | December 2013

I am happy to live in the public rental sector.

Strongly agree 11%

No feelings either way 17%