Doomed Elderly People in a Booming City: Urban Redevelopment and Housing Problems of Elderly People in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, one of the "Four Dragons" of Asia, is faced with the gradual ageing of both its population and its urban fabric. Based on a "property-led" economy, the government and private property developers are eager to launch urban redevelopment projects. Yet, in the course of redevelopment, the special needs and problems of elderly people have not been well attended to. Most of Hong Kong's elderly people are poor in physical, financial and social aspects. They are at a disadvantage in facing the threat of urban renewal. The weakening of Chinese traditional values of respecting elderly people and of neighbourhood care, coupled with the nuclearization of families, all aggravate the plight of elderly people. Government housing policies should incorporate the principles of "ageing-in-place" and "community care", in order to address the housing needs and problems of the elderly people affected.