For Hong Kong's youth, government-backed hostels offer a smidgen of housing hope

investing.com:

By Clare Jim

HONG KONG (Reuters) — For most young adults, moving out of home is a rite of passage but in Hong Kong — notorious for its chronic lack of housing — it's usually an unaffordable dream.

Silver Ho, a 26-year-old hair stylist assistant who was tired of arguing with his parents, counts himself as one of the lucky ones. Two months ago, he landed a spot at a new so-called «youth hostel», which offers rooms for young adults that are subsidised by the Hong Kong government and can be rented for up to five years.

His 22 square metre (240 square foot) twin-bed room he'll share with another person is only a bit smaller than the public housing unit he shared with his parents.

Ho also pays rent of just HK$4,400 ($560) per month, 27% cheaper than a space in a sub-divided flat in the same neighbourhood. Such partitioned units often have no personal bathroom and are barely big enough for a bed.

The hostel programme, ramped up last year under pressure from Chinese President Xi Jinping, is aimed at tackling youth frustration with housing — a factor Beijing believes contributed to the anti-government pro-democracy protests that rocked the city in 2019.

It's also aimed at nurturing what the government considers to be good responsible citizens and providing opportunities for self-development.

Applicants — who must be younger than 31, earn less than HK$25,000 ($3,200) a month and have less than HK$380,000 in assets — are chosen after interviews. They are also required to do 200 hours a year of community service or approved activities to keep their rooms.

For Ho, gaining a room at the BeLIVING hostel has meant independence and saving on commuting time. It's the first to have been converted from a hotel under a new scheme and unlike