Lobbying for rent regulation in Hong Kong: Rental market politics and framing strategies

Abstract

Growing demand for private renting has stimulated debates on rent regulation in many cities. In Hong Kong, grassroots groups have lobbied for stronger rent regulation, in the context of rapidly rising rents. This paper seeks to interpret the evolving dynamics of the rent regulation debate in Hong Kong, from the 1990s to the present. In particular, the paper seeks to interpret changes in the lobbying strategies of advocacy groups, through applying theories from the sociological literature on framing processes. The findings reveal that advocates and opponents disagree because of divergent prognostic frames, despite their similar diagnosis of rental affordability problems. Furthermore, existing motivational frames are unable to mobilise support from a broader range of households. These insights are relevant not only to debates on housing policy, but also to other public policy areas, where the degree of resonance of motivational frames helps explain the change in momentum of policy advocacy work.