Comparative Perspectives on Public Housing in Singapore and Hong Kong

Abstract

n spite of the apparent material and economic advances many Asian countries have made since World War II, the problem of shelter in the majority of Asian cities is as acute as ever. From Seoul to Manila, from Karachi to Djakarta, housing demand far exceeds supply, resulting in widespread overcrowding, proliferating squatter settlements, and often worsening living conditions. Only in the Republic of Singapore and the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong has significant progress been made in the provision of housing to a wide section of the population through public funds. Undoubtedly leaders in the development of public housing in Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong provide in their experience many lessons and pointers which may be useful to other Asian countries. However, despite the similarities the two city-states share, such as the small land area and a large portion of the population of Chinese origin, Singapore and Hong Kong have adopted rather different philosophies, approaches, and planning practices in their public housing programs. A comparative evaluative statement is particularly valuable at this time inasmuch as the Hong Kong government has recently outlined even more extensive plans for public housing development.' It is the purpose of this article to review the major housing achievements of Singapore and Hong Kong in terms of housing policies and planning principles, to assess the developmental problems to date, and to raise a number of implications of general interest to other developing cities that are beginning to move towards more positive housing programs.2