Housing policy is the government’s response to livelihood issues. Looking back over the 20th century, different periods saw public demand for housing evolved as social and economic conditions in Hong Kong improved. The provision of housing also changed in Sham Shui Po, which has acted as a pioneer, time and again throughout the history of Hong Kong’s housing development: the housing models involving resettlement blocks, private low-cost housing and private residential buildings were all trailled in the district before they were extended to other areas in Hong Kong. Housing developments in Sham Shui Po thus not only reflect the changes in the district itself, but also form an integral part of the history of housing development in Hong Kong as a whole.