A debate is intensifying among election hopefuls in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Central constituency regarding the revival of the controversial Tenancy-Purchase Scheme (TPS), which allows public housing tenants to buy their rental flats. While proponents argue that the scheme fosters homeownership and community stability, critics caution that reintroducing the policy could severely restrict the supply of rental units for those on the long public housing waiting lists.
The original TPS, offered years ago, enabled public rental tenants to purchase their units, intending to help low-income families climb the socio-economic ladder. However, the program was widely criticized for creating complex and often chaotic mixed-ownership management structures within the housing estates.
Several candidates vying for seats have explicitly called for the government to relaunch the initiative, often dubbed “rent-to-buy,” with Kowloon Central suggested as a potential pilot area. Priscilla Lee Wai-king, seeking re-election, championed the idea of using Kowloon Central as a starting point. She proposed a phased approach, beginning with a public consultation to iron out the details before implementing and reviewing the program steadily.
Echoing this sentiment, Dominic Yang Wing-kit proposed a significant overhaul—a “TPS 2.0.” Recognizing the flaws of its predecessor, Yang suggested abandoning the mixed-ownership model and moving toward the bulk sale of entire public housing blocks. Yang asserted that projections indicate a substantial surplus in public housing supply over the next decade, making the timing opportune for such a large-scale divestiture. Similarly, candidate Andrew Yeung Lok-hin supported the revival, emphasizing the importance of enabling residents to own property locally to maintain family ties and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs.
Concerns Over Limited Housing Mobility
However, the proposal faces strong opposition. Jeffrey Lee Chiu-yu of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong expressed significant reservations, stressing that the core mandate of public housing is to provide essential accommodation and requires a sustainable turnover rate. Lee warned that reintroducing the TPS would inevitably reduce the pool of available rental units, thereby prolonging waiting times for prospective tenants and undermining the system’s ability to address housing needs efficiently.
The Foreign Labor Quota Collision
The discussion over social policy extended to the contentious issue of importing foreign labor. Candidates debated the necessity and trigger mechanisms for implementing a “brake” on foreign worker visas to safeguard local employment, particularly during economic downturns.
Dominic Yang proposed a clear, data-driven mechanism: pausing the labor importation scheme if the city’s overall unemployment rate reached 4% or higher, with resumption based on prevailing conditions.
Priscilla Lee advocated for prioritizing local workers and suggested a more granular approach, recommending that foreign labor quotas be dynamically adjusted based on sector-specific employment and unemployment statistics. She stressed that industries experiencing persistently high jobless rates should face a zero-quota policy when necessary.
Andrew Yeung, however, remained skeptical of using the general unemployment rate as the sole criterion for a brake mechanism. He voiced concerns that broad economic data could be manipulated by vested corporate interests, potentially masking the true employment situation on the ground. Jeffrey Lee countered that focusing on a “brake mechanism” was a distraction, arguing that the priority should be effective enforcement and curbing the abuse of the existing foreign labor importation system.
While two other Kowloon Central candidates, Chuk Yiu-shing and Tam Lai-yee, declined requests for comment, the diverging views highlight the deep ideological divide among local politicians regarding how best to balance social equity, economic growth, and housing affordability in Hong Kong. The outcomes of the legislative election are expected to significantly influence the government’s approach to these critical policy areas.
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