Time for Hong Kong to think out of the box to solve its liveability crisis

While Hong Kong is undeniably one of the top places to live in the world in terms of personal safety and efficiency, residents are becoming more concerned about the city’s liveability as it struggles to combat soaring rents, overcrowding, exorbitant living costs and air pollution.

Although Hong Kong provides a high level of safety and access to quality public services such as health care and transport, experts say the government can do more to provide affordable housing and minimise congestion by improving the utilisation of public spaces.

Commenting on what makes a “liveable” neighbourhood in Hong Kong, Jason Li, relocation services manager for property company Santa Fe Relocation Services, said the most important factors were access to transport, shopping, restaurants and overall atmosphere.

“Families tend to prefer close proximity to schools, while younger professionals usually enjoy easy access to dining and entertainment,” he said. “Neighbourhoods are constantly evolving and as retail and dining businesses continue to expand beyond typical areas like Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, this makes other areas more desirable.”

A survey by local think tank Civic Exchange released in October showed that seven out of 10 Hongkongers thought the city had become a worse place to live, with more than 40 per cent saying they would leave if given the chance.

Other recent studies have suggested Hong Kong is becoming a less attractive destination for expats, with increased living costs cited as the major turn-off. This year it fell from 26th to 44th place in the Expat Insider survey, compiled by expatriate networking website InterNations. Taiwan, a new entry in 2016, topped the poll.