Inefficient government policies have doubled the number of homeless people in Sham Shui Po in just two years, from 110 in 2011 to 368 as of last November.
On Hong Kong’s coldest nights, these homeless people pack the streets of Nam Cheong and Boundary Street from one end to the other, protecting themselves from the cold with makeshift shelters made out of abandoned mattresses, cardboard boxes, and debris. Residents and passersby walk by, indifferent to the sight.
One homeless man, who cannot work because of an injured foot, said that he waited eight years for public housing, only to have it cancelled because he did not notify the Housing Department that he had separated from his wife. Another homeless ex-convict said that he lives on the HK$1,400 allowance issued by Social Welfare, which is not enough to pay for rent.
More public housing efficiently distributed to the homeless will solve the problem. However, according to the Social Welfare Department, a single public housing unit can have up to a hundred thousand people waiting for it, making the wait time as long as ten years
Source: The Sun
Photo: Sunshine Action HK
