Exclusive | Hong Kong considers doubling attendance threshold for major renovation approvals

Hong Kong homeowners could face a higher bar for approving major building renovation projects as the government considers doubling the in-person attendance threshold to 10 per cent or more, the Post has learned.

In an exclusive interview with the Post on Friday, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen pledged to fast-track the amendment to the Building Management Ordinance, without providing a specific timeline. The ordinance aims to plug loopholes and enhance owners’ participation in major decisions.

The proposals were floated after a deadly fire that broke out in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court killed 168 people, displaced almost 5,000, and exposed serious gaps in government oversight of building maintenance projects.

A key proposal Mak revealed was a tiered voting threshold for renovation projects that cost over HK$30,000 (US$3,850) per flat.

The current law requires a minimum of 5 per cent of owners to vote in person. Under a proposal being considered by authorities, the figure could be raised to 10 per cent or more, depending on the cost of the works.

A 10 per cent threshold was considered in the previous amendment, which took effect in 2025, but it faced strong opposition from the property management industry, causing authorities to hold back the idea, she said.