Applications commenced yesterday in response to the Hong Kong Housing Society's plans to sell sandwich-class flats in Tseung Kwan O for singles and families. The flats are priced 23 percent below market value.
香港房子委员会计划面向单身人士和家庭供应将军澳区域的夹心阶层住屋,申请已于昨日开始。这类公寓的价格比市价要低23%。
文中的sandwich-class flat就是指夹心阶层住屋,sandwich class就是大家常说的夹心层,they are the backbone1 of various units but they do not meet the requirements for budget homes, nor can they afford commercial housing.(夹心层是各行各业的骨干,但他们没达到申请便宜住房的规范,又买不起产品房)。
香港提出的Sandwich Class Housing Scheme(夹心阶层住屋计划)和Home Ownership Scheme(HOS,居者有其屋计划)就有效解决了夹心层的住房难点。
Sandwich这个词非常形象地形容出了夹心的困境。现在,post-80s generation(八零后一代人)不少已结婚生子,成为了名副其实的sandwich generation(三明治一代,既要赡养老人,又要抚养下一代的人)。为了可以吸引雇主的注意,还有人携带sandwich board(夹板广告牌)在金融街漫步,那种前胸背部各有一块广告牌的样子真吸引人眼球啊。