A dissertation on effective development processes for transitional housing projects in Hong Kong

Abstract

This thesis aims to provide contextualised and empirically-based recommendations for transitional housing policies in Hong Kong, focusing on the determinants of effective development processes for transitional housing projects. The study utilises case studies of Light Be projects as a source of inspiration and evaluates recommendations through interviews with practitioners in the local building and construction industry. The study proposes recommendations for each stage of the development process, including planning, finance, design, build, and operate stages, to promote effective development processes. The key recommendations include expanding the target group, adopting a streamlined approval procedure, providing funding for feasibility studies, users’ participation in design and development, subsidising supportive services, and delegating authority to non-governmental organisations in the assessment of tenants’ eligibility. The study emphasises the inadequacies of the current transitional housing policies and underscores the criticality of identifying gaps for policy development and enhancement. Identifying the over-simplified and narrow transitional housing objective as the primary problem, the study concludes that redefining the transitional housing objectives is imperative and that supportive programs should be in place to facilitate citizens' upward mobility enabling them to transition into the private market, thereby dispersing the concentration of housing wealth.