By Lu Yixin
Residents of Hong Fuk Estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district have submitted a joint petition to Chief Executive John Lee and other senior officials, urging the government to rebuild the damaged housing estate on its original site following a deadly fire last month.
The five-alarm blaze, which broke out on Nov. 26, caused serious casualties and left seven residential blocks severely damaged. More than a month later, long-term resettlement arrangements for affected residents have yet to be finalized, keeping reconstruction plans in the public spotlight.
According to local outlet Orange News, more than 100 residents recently signed a joint letter addressed to Lee, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, and Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, calling on the government to pursue on-site reconstruction.
Residents call estate their ‘root’
In the letter, residents wrote that the fire not only stripped them of shelter but also destroyed the foundations of daily life they had built with their families and neighbors over many years.
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Hong Fuk Estate, they said, was more than a housing complex. It was home to multiple generations, where neighbors supported one another and families shared memories ranging from childhood growth and elderly care to family reunions and long-term stability.
Losing the estate, the residents wrote, meant more than losing physical living space—it meant losing a sense of security and belonging.
The signatories appealed to the government to allow rebuilding on the original site so they could return to familiar surroundings and resume life alongside their families and neighbors. For those affected by the fire, they said, on-site reconstruction was not merely a housing arrangement but a means of emotional healing and the only path toward restoring dignity and hope.
While acknowledging that reconstruction would take time and resources, the residents said they believed the government had both the capacity and responsibility to respond to their appeal.
Government outlines resettlement options
Michael Wong, who heads the government’s emergency accommodation task force, has previously outlined five possible long-term housing options. These include identifying land in Tai Po to build more than 1,000 public housing units; allowing residents to select public housing projects outside the district; placing residents in transitional housing; having the government purchase property rights while residents independently arrange private rentals or home purchases; and on-site resettlement or reconstruction.
Wong said authorities would carefully study the options and collect residents’ views through a “one household, one social worker” approach to assess long-term solutions.
Although a final reconstruction plan has yet to be announced, the prolonged uncertainty has placed heavy psychological strain on affected residents. Beyond rebuilding physical structures, community representatives have stressed the importance of mental health recovery, describing it as a less visible and prolonged process.
Tai Po district councilor Lo Hiu-fung said that while social workers are providing support, many residents struggle to seek help openly. He said psychological assistance must be proactive, urging social workers assigned to each household to regularly check in and offer support.
Nearby businesses seek rent relief
The impact of the fire has also extended beyond residents to nearby businesses. Merchants around Hong Fuk Estate have launched their own petition seeking long-term rent reductions from Link REIT, which manages the adjacent Kwong Fuk Shopping Centre.
According to am730, foot traffic at the shopping centre has remained noticeably sparse since the Nov. 26 fire, even during the Christmas holiday period.
A tenant operating a music school at the mall initiated a petition titled “A Neighborhood Spirit Gradually Fading, a Life Losing Its Balance,” posting it at her storefront and gathering signatures from local residents. She said Link REIT had proposed a 30 percent rent reduction, but many shop rents were already higher than those in surrounding areas, meaning the reduction would only bring them roughly in line with nearby market rates.
The letter described the shopping centre as being closely tied to Hong Fuk Estate, saying it “was not consumed by the flames, yet resembles a silent mourner, steadily and completely moving toward decline.”
It noted that the loss of regular customers was irreversible, with residents temporarily relocated—or possibly never returning. The mall’s only Chinese restaurant, which previously hosted many family gatherings, now sees evening business fall to just 20 to 30 percent of previous levels.
As small shops continue to close one after another, the petition called on the government and property developers to provide long-term rent relief.
Merchants face uncertain outlook
According to Hong Kong media reports, one shop owner who declined to be named said that in the first one to two weeks after the fire, some businesses—such as restaurants and grocery stores—did not see a dramatic decline, as volunteers and civil aid service members frequented the area.
However, after the Kwong Fuk Plaza and memorial zones were cleared, foot traffic dropped sharply. Over the past one to two weeks, the merchant said, business conditions had noticeably worsened.
Although Link REIT has offered up to 12 months of rent concessions, the shop owner said prospects remained bleak, believing most Hong Fuk Estate residents would not return within a year. With no clear recovery in sight, the merchant said closing the business had become a serious consideration.
