Five-Year Plan: NGOs urge stronger protections for the underprivileged, from rent controls to heatwave measures

Local NGOs have called upon the Hong Kong government to implement stronger protections for low-income residents, encompassing rent controls and heatwave safety measures, in response to Chief Executive John Lee's inaugural Five-Year Plan and the administration's final Policy Address. On September 16, 2026, NGOs such as Grassroots Wishes, Concerning Grassroot Housing Rights Alliance, and Alliance for Children Development Rights gathered in Mong Kok for a watch party as Lee unveiled his 2026 policy blueprint.

Among the groups responding to Lee's announcement was anti-poverty NGO SoCO, which advocated for the reinstatement of the income-based poverty line, which was abolished by officials in 2022. The coalition of NGOs urged the government to implement a circuit-breaker mechanism that would cap non-local labor when unemployment, underemployment, salary levels, and the local labor supply reach specific thresholds.

Additionally, they urged authorities to revise the existing heat stress warning system to account for work environments and labor intensity.

Furthermore, the NGOs proposed incorporating heat prevention requirements into tender agreements, including penalties for non-compliance and restrictions on bidding for tenders. Housing targets were another focus, with the coalition recommending a cap on initial rents for Basic Housing Units, subdivided units meeting minimum living standards set by the authorities.

SoCO welcomed the government's targets but emphasized that Lee's policy announcement did not address the ongoing issue of "coffin homes" - living spaces housing over 1,000 residents, often measuring less than 20 square feet.