Housing the Poor? A Comparative Study of Public Housing Provision in New York, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen

Governments in cities and countries around the world are faced with housing affordability problems, which acutely affect lower income residents. Prior comparative work adopts a national perspective that primarily draws upon theories of the welfare state and Western political ideologies to understand government responses to social problems. However, such work often overlooks alternative political systems, the distinctive role of housing policy, and local government strategies. This article compares the provision and role of public housing across three global cities that are experiencing major housing affordability challenges: New York, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen. Based on a review of agency documents and housing and demographic data, we describe public housing policy priorities and examine how the respective governments administer public housing programs. We find each case shows a strong demand for public housing, a broad interpretation of target population, and evolving relationships between the public and private sectors. There are important differences in policy priorities, program eligibility, management, and overlap with the private housing market. The findings suggest standard frameworks may miss variation within countries and the changing role of cities in providing housing for low- and middle-income households.