SAFEGUARDING THE RATIONAL ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC-HOUSING RESOURCES IN HONG-KONG

This paper is an attempt to analyze the Hong Kong government's housing policy in safeguarding the rational allocation of public housing reso urces. An asset-test policy has been introduced recently to supplement the income-test on tenant households. This paper examines the objecti ves, value premises, principles and strategies adopted and the impact of the policy on housing the needy. It also contributes to the debate on residualization in the social rented sector and housing affordabili ty of public housing tenants, and deals with the Issues of resource al location and equity.