Access to Neighbourhood Services and Subjective Poverty in Hong Kong

This study tests the institutional/service mechanism of the neighbourhood effect by investigating the relationship between access to neighbourhood services and subjective poverty in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Data were drawn from the first wave (2015) of the Hong Kong Panel Survey for Poverty Alleviation (n = 1,788). Nineteen types of neighbourhood services were grouped into six categories: health and care, food service, government service, family service, culture and entertainment, and physical activity and sports services. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used. When subjective poverty was measured by the question 'Do you think that you live in poverty according to your present living condition?', the regression showed that higher access to a rest garden/park significantly reduced the likelihood of subjective poverty. A rest garden/park has a recreational function that encourages physical exercise and supports social interaction. The findings confirmed that higher access to neighbourhood services compensates for the insufficiency of individual and household resources, making people less likely to feel poor. Policy implications on how improving public space, such as a rest garden/park, may reduce citizens' subjective poverty in Hong Kong are discussed.