How to apply for Public Rental Housing?

The Procedures for Public Rental Housing (PRH) application includes “Submission of Application”, “Preliminary Vetting”, “Investigation Stage” and “Flat Allocation Stage”.
 

Submission of Application

1. E-Application

PRH applicants who are “iAM Smart +” users can submit PRH application forms together with relevant declaration forms online with digital signing. Applicants are required to register an e-Services account for PRH Application. The following Easy Form Filing services would be provided to applicants depending on their application status:

• Complete the e-Application Form
• Download or Print the Application Form / Declaration Form(s)
• View the Acknowledgement Letter
• Check the Preliminary vetting result

For details, please refer to “User Manual of e-Services of PRH Application”.

2. Submit application by post or in person

The Applicant must mail the completed PRH application form (HD300E) (if online e-application form was used, the applicant should print and sign the completed application form.) together with all supporting documents to Housing Department (HD) (Address: P.O.Box 89192, Kowloon City Post Office) or submit the application to the Application Sub-section of HD (Address: Applications Sub-section, Housing Department, Podium Level 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon) for preliminary vetting. 

Obtain application form and application guide

Applicants can obtain the application form and Information for applicants by the following ways: 

• Visit estate offices, Applications Sub-section or Home Affairs Department Public Enquiry Service Centers
• Download PDF file ( HD300E and HD273) on the Housing Authority and Housing Department websiteor fill in and print the e-application form via the e-Services for PRH Application.

Upon receipt of the application form, HD will issue an acknowledgement letter in about 2 weeks.
 

Preliminary Vetting
(a) Upon receipt of the application, HD will vet the application form and attached documents according to the date of receiving the application form. If the application form is not properly completed or supporting documents are not provided, or the application is vetted as not meeting the eligibility criteria, the application form will be returned together with attached documents, and the case will be regarded as closed.  Applicants re-submitting the application form may use a fresh application form or the returned application form.  Aapplicants have to fill in a new date of application whether which form is used.

(b) HD will register applications that have passed the preliminary vetting and mail out a blue acknowledgement card bearing an application number to the applicant. If the Applicant does not receive the card within 3 months of submitting the application form together with all requisite documents, he/she may make a written enquiry or enquire in person at the Enquiry Counter of the Applications Sub-section of HD.
 

Investigation Stage
Once the application is due for investigation, an interview for eligibility vetting will be arranged for the applicant according to the priority of the application on Waiting List (WL).  The Applicant must provide all requisite documents as stated in the appointment letter and take note of the important points to note during the interview for HD’s vetting and verification.   HD will inform the Applicant of his/her eligibility for PRH within 2 months after collecting all the documents. The date of acceptance or cancellation of the application shall be the one on which HD’s vetting is completed.

If applicants have any objections to the cancellation of PRH application by HD, request for appeal should be made within two months from the date of notification letter issued by HD.  Otherwise the appeal will not be considered by HD.   
 

Flat Allocation Stage
According to the prevailing allocation PRH policy, eligible applicants are entitled to 3 housing offers (one at a time). HD will allocate PRH by random computer batching in accordance with the relative priority of the applications on WL, family size and district choice subject to the resources available when applications on WL are due for allocation.  In general, applicants cannot specify their preferred district, flat age, size of flat, floor or type of flat.     

For applicants with special request on flat allocation (for example, a specific area in their district of choice or a specific type of flats), their applications must be vetted to have social and/or medical grounds to justify their need for such and have obtained the recommendation on the requests from the concerned government departments or organisations (such as the Social Welfare Department or the Hospital Authority). HD will arrange allocation of PRH as recommended for them as far as possible with regard to individual circumstances and available resources,

In addition, applications may be considered as having an additional household member by the time of allocation and be allocated a PRH flat with extra space  (for example, a family with three members may be offered a four- person flat) should they or their family members have the following grounds as supported by medical documents:

(a)    requiring renal dialysis treatment at home; or

(b)    suffering from hyperactivity problem; or

(c)    suffering from tetraplegia; or

(d)    depending non-temporarily on wheelchair for mobility at home.

Green Form Certificate (GFC)
PRH applicants whose eligibility for allocation of PRH has been established (excluding those who are ex-owners/ex-joint owners or former recipients of Subsidized Home Ownership Schemes) may apply for GFC for purchase of a flat under the Subsidized Home Ownership Schemes of the Hong Kong Housing Authority or the Hong Kong Housing Society in lieu of allocation of PRH. The GFC is valid for one year from the date of issue, and PRH allocation will be withheld within the validity period of the GFC. Application for GFC can be made in person or in writing to the Applications Sub-section at Podium Level 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Lok Fu, Kowloon. Upon receipt of full information by the applicants, HD will conduct vetting and inform the applicants as to whether they are eligible for GFC in about one month.  PRH applicants and family members received GFC still have to fulfill the eligibility criteria of related Subsidized Home Ownership Schemes.