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Winnie Ho

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Ho in 2023

Winnie Ho Wing-yin is the current Secretary for Housing in Hong Kong, appointed on 1 July 2022 as part of John Lee's administration.[1]

Biography

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According to her government profile, Ho was a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture from the University of Hong Kong.[1] Ho joined the government in 1992 as an Architect, was promoted to Chief Architect in 2009, Government Architect in 2012, and Deputy Director of Architectural Services in 2018, and Director of Architectural Services in 2020.[1] In July 2022, she was appointed as Secretary for Housing.

Separately, she works in the Energizing Kowloon East Office of the Development Bureau as Deputy Head.[1]

In August 2022, news outlets reported that Ho and her husband bought a flat for HK$12.5 million in 2006 with an illegal structure, and the government's Buildings Department ordered the structure removed in 2008. The structure was not removed until 2021.[2]

In November 2022, Ho said that even though John Lee announced the target to be 4.5 years, the government's goal for public housing wait times is 3 years.[3]

In December 2022, Ho revealed that "light public housing" with 16-18 floors would cost HK$680,000 per unit, more than public permanent housing, which cost HK$650,000 per unit.[4] Some lawmakers criticized the cost, saying that the government was not transparent in its cost breakdown.[4] Other people complained that the 4 sites chosen for light public housing were in remote areas.[5]

In January 2023, Ho said that light public housing units would not include air conditioning, in order to reduce costs by about HK$200 million.[6]

Personal life

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Ho declared that she and her husband own a property in Singapore.[7] In total, Ho owns 3 properties in Hong Kong and 1 in Singapore.[8][9]

In August 2022, a family member tested positive for COVID-19, and Ho underwent quarantine.[10] In October 2022, Ho's driver tested positive for COVID-19.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d GovHK (www.gov.hk). "GovHK: Secretary for Housing, JP, Ms Winnie Ho". www.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  2. ^ Wang, Wallis (2022-08-10). "Housing secretary revealed to ignore her illegal structure for 13 years". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  3. ^ "Hong Kong aims to cut wait for public flats to 3 years: housing secretary". South China Morning Post. 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  4. ^ a b "Temporary housing is about improving lives, not numbers, says Hong Kong leader". South China Morning Post. 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  5. ^ "Search on for urban sites for light public housing - RTHK". news.rthk.hk. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  6. ^ "HK$780 rent for new Hong Kong public flats; 10,000 homes to be built in Kai Tak". South China Morning Post. 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  7. ^ Standard, The. "Financial Services Secretary tops the interests declaration with seven properties". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  8. ^ Standard, The. "Treasury chief comes flat out on top". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  9. ^ Li, Almond (2022-08-12). "Treasury chief biggest property owner among Hong Kong top officials, gov't information reveals". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
  10. ^ Standard, The. "Housing minister undergoing quarantine after family member contracts Covid". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  11. ^ "S for Housing's driver tests positive for COVID-19". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
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