‘Better than expected’: 73,800 subdivided flats apply for 3-year grace period. More than 73,000 subdivided flats in Hong Kong have applied for a three-year grace period to meet the government’s minimum standards, a figure the housing chief has described as “better than expected”. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Saturday that authorities received around 73,800 applications during the “early bird” registration phase under the Basic Housing Unit Ordinance, which closed on August 31.