LCQ2: Applications for Home Ownership Scheme

     Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Ng Chau-pei and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council today (February 16):
 
Question:
 
     It is learnt that flats put up for sale by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) have always received overwhelming responses from members of the public. Some eligible applicants who have applied over the years but have been unsuccessful feel hopeless about home ownership. Regarding applications for HOS, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information in respect of each of the HOS sale exercises launched by HA in the past five years: (i) the number of flats put up for sale, (ii) the number of applications received, (iii) the number of oversubscriptions, (iv) the number of applications invited for flat selection, and (v) the categories of applicants (in the order of flat selection priority);
 
(2) of the respective numbers of applicants in each of the HOS sale exercises launched by HA in 2019 and 2020 who were first-time applicants, second-time applicants, and those having applied for three times or more (set out in a table); and
 
(3) whether it will review the balloting mechanism for HOS applications, so as to increase the chance of success in a ballot for those applicants who have been unsuccessful for a number of times (especially "other nuclear family applicants"); if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     My reply the question raised by Hon NG Chau-pei, Stanley is as follows:
 
(1) The sales information of the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) sales exercises launched by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) from 2016 to 2020 is set out in the Annex.
 
(2) HA does not maintain relevant information on the respective number of applicants in each of the HOS sales exercises launched in 2019 and 2020 who were first-time applicants, second-time applicants, and those having applied for three times or more.
 
(3) Before the launch of each sale exercise, HA takes due consideration of the prevailing circumstances and views of stakeholders in determining the quota and flat selection order for different categories of applicants. The existing arrangement is a pragmatic approach in view of the strong demand from different categories of applicants.