Housing top concern for low-income residents: survey
A recent survey of over 600 low-income residents by the Society for Community Organisation shows that housing is a major concern, with nearly 70 per cent hoping that the Chief Executive will focus on the issue in his policy address next month. The group's deputy director, Sze Lai-shan, called for faster allocation of public housing and rent control. Healthcare and education emerged as the second and third most important issues for the residents, she said. "Every day they have to bear the high rent, and then they have to pay the rent and they are afraid that the rent will be increased. Also, some of them are sick, but it's hard for them to get a place in the public hospital," Sze said. "Also for education, because the students go to school every day and they have to pay a lot of fees and they cannot buy what they need to study. These are the daily problems they face." Respondents gave the CE an average score of 6.4 out of 10, slightly lower than last year's 6.8. "They felt that some of the promises made by the CE have taken a long time to materialise. They haven't seen any concrete help from the CE yet. Also, some of them expected the CE to make some reforms. For example, the medical support, or there are some short-term measures to have housing support, or they have some reforms in some educational resources. They haven't seen those kinds of changes," Sze told RTHK. The CE is due to deliver his second policy address on October 25.