45 "Hostels in the City" Projects Approved, Involving Over 11,450 Hostel Places; One Application Rejected for Failing Safety Requirements

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The Development Bureau and the Education Bureau launched the "Hostels in the City" scheme last year to relax policy restrictions on converting commercial buildings or redeveloping student hostels, aiming to provide more student hostel places. Secretary for Development Ning Hon-ho, responding to a lawmaker's question today, said that as of today the Education Bureau has received 52 related applications, of which 45 have been approved, involving about 11,450 hostel places. One application was not approved because the hostel design failed to meet safety and livability requirements.

🏢 Most Approved Projects Involve Whole-Building Conversion, Concentrated in Urban Areas
In a written reply to a lawmaker's question, Ning Hon-ho said that as of today the Education Bureau has received a total of 52 applications under the "Hostels in the City" scheme, of which 45 applications involving about 11,450 hostel places have been confirmed as eligible by the Education Bureau. Most involve whole-building conversion and are located in urban areas such as Yau Tsim Mong, Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Wan Chai and Central and Western District. Among the remaining 7 applications, 6 are being processed, while the remaining one was not confirmed as eligible because the hostel design failed to meet safety and livability requirements.

Among the 45 approved applications, two involve converting an existing hotel in whole or in part into a student hostel; 5 have applied to the Lands Department for a waiver or lease modification requiring premium payment; and another 7 are required to submit relevant applications.

🏗️ 4 Projects Completed, Providing About 700 Hostel Places
As of today, a total of 4 projects under the "Hostels in the City" scheme have been completed and will commence operation in the 2026/27 academic year, providing about 700 post-secondary student hostel places. Another 5 cases have obtained all development control-related approvals and are undergoing conversion, with works expected to be completed in about a year, involving about 740 hostel places.

📊 Government Has No Intention to Set Hostel Place Targets
Ning Hon-ho stressed that whether to convert or redevelop commercial buildings into student hostels is a commercial decision. The government has no intention to set specific targets for the number of hostel places, or to link the annual supply of hostel places with the number of additional students from the relaxation of non-local student quotas. In addition, the Development Bureau will put the Sha Tin Siu Lek Yuen site up for sale in the third quarter of this financial year for the construction of post-secondary student hostels, expected to provide about 600 hostel places. The authorities will consider whether and when to release the Kai Tak and Tung Chung East sites depending on the sale of that site.