Hong Kong is a quickly evolving city that is often characterized by its density and rich culture; it supports the life, work, and play of seven million inhabitants. The city’s-built environment is constantly evolving due to urban renewal, which involves the redevelopment of poor or deteriorating areas through agencies like the Urban Renewal Authority (URA). The Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance instated the Urban Renewal Authority in 2001 “to undertake, encourage, promote and facilitate the regeneration of older urban areas of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s urban renewal policies and practices have poorly served its communities and residents. The government and Urban Renewal Authority cannot adequately address critical social or economic issues without making changes to their approach, structure, and visibility. Hong Kong can also learn from other cities or countries in order to develop more effective strategies for equitable planning. It is thought that ordinary citizens, as in the pro-democracy protests, can organize around collective interests and pressure organizations like the Urban Renewal Authority to reform housing and redevelopment policies in Hong Kong.