The head of the Housing Authority's subsidised housing committee said on Friday the economic situation might have led to a lower oversubscription rate for its latest Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) offering.

However, the batch of flats in Kowloon Bay was still oversubscribed by nearly 14 times. Under the scheme, public housing tenants – commonly known as green form applicants – and those eligible can buy flats at prices lower than other subsidised units.

With nearly 2,600 flats in Kowloon Bay on offer last year, the authority revealed on Friday it had received about 36,000 applications – 13.8 times oversubscribed.

Speaking on RTHK, Cleresa Wong said other factors might also have contributed to the sharp drop in the subscription rate, citing flat size as a cause.

For instance, she said, people might have been more keen on homes offered in 2023 at Lai Yuet Court in Cheung Sha Wan, as they ranged in size from 280 to 646 square feet.

That showed up in an oversubscription rate that was about 23 times.

"Lai Yuet Court in Cheung Sha Wan was very popular, the flats were quite big," Wong said.

"This time, the largest flats ranged from 450 to 466 square feet and accounted for more than 25 percent.

"But the number of such flats aren't as many as the ones in Lai Yuet Court."

However, Wong said the Kowloon Bay project was quite attractive as it's located in a neighbourhood that is well-equipped with amenities.

Flat selection is expected to commence this quarter at the soonest, she said.

With ample public housing supply for the next decade Wong suggested the authority may consider offering bigger flats for green form applicants after the number of subsidised homes on offer has stabilised.