Politics of the High-rises

Councillors in the making of public housing in Hong Kong (1952-1973)

Abstract

This paper examines the interface between politics and urban planning in the creation of high density public housing in Hong Kong. The history of Hong Kong public housing in Hong Kong is often presented as a linear progression: from the spartan resettlement blocks, communal low-cost housing, finally towards modern tower blocks – a triumph of government planners and architects alike. Less known was the involvement of the councillors in the Urban Council. Until 1973, Hong Kong Urban Council was the government arm in executing housing projects in Hong Kong through its control of the former Housing Authority and their oversight power to the Commissioner for Resettlement. As the council was the only public body with direct election in Hong Kong until 1983, it brought a rare taste of citizen participation and accountability into the housing project. They were pivotal in the management of the estates, from the rent policy, public space, zoning, to receiving complaints, and even filling the applications forms for the estates. They were the force that transformed the high-raising estates into the most well-sought accommodation for Hong Kong residents. With their political clout, councillors acted as a counterweight against critics of the public housing project, such as neo-liberals like John Cowperthwaithe, ensuring the celebrated continuity of the project. This paper challenges the technocratic or government-centred narrative about public housing in Hong Kong by bringing council politics to the centre of discussion.