The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors is calling on the government to suspend the Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme, saying doing so would allow resources to be allocated to those most in need.
Under the scheme, public housing tenants and other eligible people can buy flats at prices lower than other subsidised units.
But on an RTHK radio programme on Thursday, institute chairman Francis Lam said these Green Form units should instead be used as public rental flats.
He added that the government will need to find temporary homes for people in subdivided units that are found to be unfit for living in.
“This is also related to the government’s plan for tackling the issue of subdivided flats. If it sets minimum standards for size, construction, hygiene and fire safety, there will be tens of thousands, or at least 10,000 to 20,000, subdivided flats that fall below standards that will have to be vacated temporarily for renovation,” he said.
“Tenants who are affected have to be housed, we cannot let them be homeless. Therefore, the demand for public housing units will only be greater and more pressing.”
The call to suspend the Green Form scheme is among the institute’s proposals for Chief Executive John Lee ahead of his policy address on October 16.
The institute is also suggesting the government review its policy of allowing subsidised homes to be sold on the open market if the seller first pays a premium to the Housing Authority.