Hong Kong – Housing Bureau launches central common application form for transitional housing (with photo)

     To further facilitate the application for transitional housing by those in need, the Housing Bureau (HB) has strengthened its co-ordination and improved the application process. A central common application form is launched today (June 20) to help the public make one-stop application for different transitional housing projects. 

     Through this form, the applicants can apply for up to three transitional housing projects at the same time with different priorities based on their individual needs. Once the forms and supporting documents are received, the HB will first centrally and preliminarily process the applications, and then refer them to the respective operating organisations for follow-up based on the applicants’ priority. 

     An HB spokesperson said, “After unifying the format, distribution and collection method of the form, applicants no longer need to submit separate applications to different transitional housing projects. This not only makes it more convenient for the applicants but also reduces the administrative work and processing time for the operation organisations. This will speed ​​up the matching process and improve the living environment of the applicants as soon as possible.” 

     The form is distributed and collected through various channels, including the one-stop thematic transitional housing website (www.hb.gov.hk/eng/policy/housing/policy/transitional/tenantapplications.html), various operating organisations, the Transitional Housing Information Counter (located in the Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre), and the Cash Allowance Office of the Housing Department.

     In addition to the form, the HB is actively preparing to set up a unified platform to facilitate online applications for transitional housing. The unified platform is tentatively planned to be launched in the third quarter of 2023.

     The Government has been promoting the development of transitional housing in the past few years. By actively assisting non-governmental organisations to make use of short-term vacant land and premises, about 7 000 units have been put into service so far to alleviate the housing difficulties faced by applicants waiting for traditional public rental housing and those who are inadequately housed.