The Hong Kong Housing Authority recently announced the results of its review of the income and asset limits for public housing for the 2025/26 fiscal year, with an overall increase of 1.7%.
Among these changes, the income limit for two-person households saw the highest increase of 2.5%, with the adjusted monthly income limit set at HK$20,230 and the asset limit at HK$394,000. For three-person and four-person households, the income limits have been raised to HK$25,100 and HK$31,000, respectively, while the asset limits are set at HK$514,000 and HK$600,000. Authorities estimate that approximately 165,000 non-owner-occupied private residences will now meet the eligibility criteria to apply.
However, during a meeting of the Legislative Council's Panel on Housing, some lawmakers questioned the adjustments to the limits. Chan Hok-fung, a member from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, pointed out that the current income limit for two-person households is too low; if both spouses earn the minimum wage, their total income already exceeds the limit. This situation may inadvertently encourage one spouse to give up their job or switch to part-time work, thereby affecting opportunities for upward mobility. Another legislator, Yang Wing-kit from Kowloon Central, cited the security industry as an example, noting that if a couple works in the lowest-paying security jobs, their monthly income is only about HK$13,500, making it difficult to afford private housing rents, forcing them to live in subdivided flats. He believes such families should receive more support.
The Director of Housing, Lee Pui-sze, responded by stating that regardless of how income or asset limits are set, there will always be some residents who, due to being slightly above the limits, will not meet the eligibility criteria. She emphasized that the current guidelines ensure that the most needy families can apply for public housing. Moreover, the government has identified sufficient land and plans to build 308,000 public housing units over the next decade. Some lawmakers suggested that income limits could be reconsidered for adjustments after future supply increases to allocate resources more effectively.
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