A study on the rise of the supply of micro-flats and its impacts on livability and affordability of Hong Kong private housing

Abstract

Although small housing size in Hong Kong is generally expected and accepted by the public, there are growing concerns on the decline of housing size in private housing sector in recent years, particularly on the rise of supply of micro-flats and emergence of nano-flats. And there are two different perspectives (i.e. Livability & Affordability) on the rise of micro-flats. This study is to explore the factors behind the growth of micro-flats, and its impacts on livability and affordability of HK private housing. In this study, it explained the relationship between livability, affordability and housing, the measurement of livability and affordability, explored the dermographia characteristic of residents, discussed the impacts of livability and affordability, compared the impact results between micro-flats and nano flats and finally made suggestions to government on the new development of micro-flats. In order to have the reflection from the actual users (i.e. both owners and renters), a survey interview arranged with total 150 residents living in micro-flats and nano-flats in HK. Data was analyzed by quantitative analysis. The findings revealed that the per capita living space of micro-flats and nano-flats residents is indeed low, especially for larger households with two or more people. Furthermore, the impacts of livability in both micro-flats and nano-flats were unexpectedly above average and up to high level of satisfaction/assessment. Livability and housing size are positively correlated, which smaller size of nano-flats, the lower level of satisfaction/assessment of livability elements (i.e. except built environment). The findings also indicated that the micro-flats and nano-flats were affordable from objective measurement. However, results were different from the subjective rating by residents. Even though the correlation between livability and affordability could not be proved by the survey results, livability factors for selection of premise were prioritized than the affordability factor. The overall findings supported that the supply of micro-flats could be as one of the solutions to provide affordable housing with acceptable standard of living and affordable price, but the existing supply of nano-flat might be already the bottom line accepted by the residents. So government is suggested to monitor the new developments and better to set up a minimum size requirement of private flat to safeguard residents’ livability of flat.