(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government will step up its efforts in meeting young people's housing needs by making available land for Starter Homes and increasing the supply of youth hostels, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak said today.

At a press conference on the 2022 Policy Address initiatives, Miss Mak introduced the measures to provide more housing for the younger generation.

She said: “The Chief Executive has already said that we will again launch the Starter Homes projects in the Land Sale Programme in the next financial year.

“The data tells us that more than 85% of the past applicants of Starter Homes projects were people aged 40 or below. So we believe that more Starter Homes projects can help young people and cater to their housing needs.”

Expanding the Youth Hostel Scheme is another plan to help young people, Miss Mak emphasised.

“We plan to subsidise non-governmental organisations to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses to provide around 3,000 additional hostel places within five years. This almost doubles the number of flats provided in the current Youth Hostel Scheme.

“We hope that with all these concerted efforts from the bureaus, we can work together to address the housing needs of young people.”