A community group on Sunday called on the government to allow more non-elderly single people to get public housing.

According to the Society for Community Organisation (SoCo), about 91,000 non-elderly one-person applicants were waiting to be allocated a public housing unit as of September.

A maximum of 2,200 units, or about 10 percent of new public housing units made available, are allocated to them each year.

Deputy director of SoCo Sze Lai-shan said that should be raised to up to 30 percent.

"Now the government use age in the points system when they [applicants] are waiting for public housing, and the quota for non-elderly persons is very low," she said.

"I think the government should suspend the points system, and increase the quota allocated to non-elderly single people so it is more fair for them, maybe at least to 20 or 30 percent. It would be more fair and not affect families and elderlies too much."

While the average waiting time for public housing units is 5.5 years, Sze said that did not include non-elderly one-person applicants who often have to wait for more than 10 years before being assigned a flat.

A 57-year-old man surnamed Suen, who rents a cubicle apartment, said he has been on the waiting list for 16 years.

"Four years ago I was 20 points short [on the points system] to be allocated a flat, two years ago I was still 20 points short, and recently I still find myself missing 20 points. How long do I still have to live in this apartment?" he said.

"No government subsidies are available, and we have to wait longer for public housing, and we are also not eligible to apply for Light Public Housing," he added.

SoCo also called on the government to include non-elderly one-person applicants in a cash allowance scheme for those who have been on the public housing waiting list for at least three years.