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真係要「瞓天橋底」咁慘?

(真的要在天橋底睡這樣慘?)

查看到訪愚網誌的統計數字,不少都是透過搜尋「香港樓價高」和「澳洲樓價」而來。近日聽到有人提議在天橋底興建臨時房屋和青年宿舍,我這個住在全球樓價負擔「第二高」的國家也按捺不住,說說此間的情況。

那個調查樓價中位數對家庭年入息中位數的調查,祇涵蓋香港和英語國家,但也計算出香港的比例接為13.5,澳洲整體為5.6,是受調查地區的第二位,但大城市如悉尼和墨爾本,比例也高達8。誠然澳洲人收入高,近兩年這兩大城市的樓價趨於平隱甚至輕微下調(樓價一般六十多萬澳元,折合約五百萬港元),但澳洲貸款利率高(一般要6厘左右),銀行亦普遍要求兩成首期(有其他抵押品如父母之物業或買按揭保險則可減少),所以上樓也不輕易。

澳洲人也像港人樂衷置業和物業投資,不少年輕人也希望擁有自己的居所,目對上樓難的情況,澳洲人的社會觀念也逐漸改變:父母輩的人一進大學或投身職場便忘不迭置業,最主要是要追求脫離上一代生活,而當時樓價低也造就他們較易達成這理想。但今時今日,若非要離鄉背井或穿州過省升大學或打工,大學生和畢業數年後的人往往也樂得跟家人同住,最主要可節省不少開銷,二來有分析說這一代年輕人跟父母輩的關係比以前好:從前大學畢業後還跟父母同住會遭人白眼,但現今同住到30歲的大有人在;從前置業是年輕人一力承擔,父母毫不過問,但現今的父母很多都明白子女置業的困難而樂意幫一把。

澳洲公共房屋的規模微不足道,要置業就真的全靠自己的財力,達不到的則或要長時間租樓(身邊仍有朋友跟別人合租同住)甚至住澳洲式「劏房」(英語稱Rooming或Boarding House,即是入住一間屋內的房間,其他設施可能共用)。澳洲當然有年輕人抱怨置業難,或劏房環境不好,但怨氣可不像香港那般深。

反觀港人彷彿已把置業當為己任甚至是人生的最大目標,有大學生尚未畢業便已申請公屋,政府也提出興建青年宿舍,但年輕人真的要如此急於置業嗎?別忘了入住公屋或青年宿舍也得納租,若家庭居住環境許何,何不繼續同住?愚父母輩跟再上一代同住者比比皆是,現今這麼多年輕人嚷著要有自己的居所,顯示香港社會和家庭結構也西風東漸,也是否反映年輕一代和父母輩的關係變得更差更疏遠?而大學生申請公屋,是否一種沒有上進心的表現,認為自己將來的入息一定不會超越申請公屋的上限?

至於在天橋底建屋,雖然可做到地盡其用,但也帶出愚擔心的另一個問題:近來政府見縫插針式覓地建屋,會否忽略鄰近的環境和配套?有些天橋底是社區內難得的通風口和空曠地,把其改為小型公園、小販擺賣的集中地甚至大排檔有何不妥?讓市民置業,不應是政府房屋政策的唯一目標,提升生活質素同樣重要,不應犧牲,在現在的香港社會聽來或有點流於理想主義,但香港現時的居住和生活質素,委實與整體經濟實力並不匹配。港人的着眼點,不應祇是有瓦遮頭,而且是要有更好的居住環境。

縱觀先進社會,近二三十年仍如此積極介入房地產市場為市民提供較廉價住房的政府,香港是其中的少數,雖然過去幾年政府面對樓價飆升時在這方面毫無作為,但就算政府馬上大興土木,也不一定令樓價降溫,一來公共房屋和私人樓市是兩個頗獨立的市場(雖然有些人會因為有居屋而放棄買私樓),二來樓市一旦變成了投資/投機市場,主導價格的往往是心理和預期的因素而非實質環境,現時人人趕買樓更會造成助波推欄的作用。港人向以精打細算而名,但為甚麼一談到樓市便如此浮躁和冒進,不像澳洲人一樣等一等、守一守?年輕人也不應一味兒想着上樓,趁年輕力壯的時光,正可做些自己喜歡的事和為其他方面打算一下。做政府的亦應更着力打壓樓價祇升不跌的預期,設法提高大眾的收入,加強保障租客的權益和訂立劏房的最低條件,令大家不論經濟能力,都有合理的居住環境和負擔能力。

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