Reconsidering the role of Hong Kong housing society in promoting building rehabilitation : possible governmental agents’ role in avoiding the “tragedy of the commons”

Abstract

Many buildings have multiple ownerships in Hong Kong, so the collective action in common areas of the buildings are required. Some of the owners with different levels of expectation and perspectives are not easy to have a collective decision especially in building rehabilitation works. In recent years, various legislation and subsidy schemes have been established by government and governmental agents to encourage the owners to carry out rehabilitation work of their buildings. Hong Kong Housing Society, as one of the governmental agent, which is responsible to promote Operation Building Bright. This paper will try to understand the role of HKHS in promoting the OBB from HKHS frontline staff, District Councilors and Owners’ Corporation. And examine whether HKHS is possible to act an effective role to reduce the friction among interested parties and avoid the tragedy of the commons by in-depth interview, case studies and news research. The findings from the respondents revealed that HKHS could NOT change the tragedy of the rehabilitation work because individual owners are expected to act in the best interests of their own undivided share of the building, and behavior in favor of such interests may come into conflict with the collective "good." As a result, the building rehabilitation work would be delayed or cancelled. Through the analysis of the success and failure of the building rehabilitation works, the study wishes to explore some social conditions or course of actions that are repeatable. It is hoped that the paper will provide the policy makers and practitioners with a useful set of guidance when they formulate and execute the policy in a comparable area.