CONFIDENTIAL
XCC(71)64
2
a
modation should be made available to persons who are made homeless result of the closure of a post-war building but that, during this period, the policy should be further examined as to whether the concession should be continued or modified in some way, having regard to the Rent Advance Scheme and the personal circumstances of the persons to be resettled.
7
The Rent Advance Scheme applies to tenants of pre-war buildings who accept resettlement, who thus make a contribution to the capital cost of their new accommodation from the compensation they re- ceive under the Demolished Buildings (Redevelopment of Sites) Ordinance. The scheme has often been criticised because it has been said that it tends to favour tenants who receive a larger sum of compensation. Tenants of post-war buildings will not receive compensation, and to require them to pay rent in advance could discriminate against poor tenants in the greatest need. It is felt, therefore, that the recommendation of the Board should be accepted; that the Board should be asked to consider this problem during the next six months; and that in the interim tenants of any post-war buildings declared dangerous should be offered resettlement.
8
It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the number of people who are likely to become eligible for resettlement from dangerous post-war buildings, but it is not thought that it should be very large. Some 9,000 individual units (i. e. spaces) in resettlement have already been allocated to former tenants of pre-war buildings declared dangerous this year. The Chong Hing Mansion closure involved some 1,180 odd persons, while the buildings referred to in paragraph 1 above house some 80 persons in all (some of the floors being empty).
9
Honourable Members will be asked to advise whether, for a period of six months, the tenants of post-war buildings declared dangerous should be offered resettlement; and, if so, whether the Housing Board should be invited to advise whether this concession should be continued thereafter, or be modified having regard to the Rent Advance Scheme and other relevant factors such as the particular financial circumstances of the individuals to be resettled. If Honourable Members so advise, the Urban Council will be informed in advance of publicity.
(The Commissioner for Resettlement (Mr I. M. LIGHTBODY), the Director of Fublic Works (Mr J. J. ROBSON) and the Frincipal Assistant Colonial Secretary (Lands) (Mr D. AKERS-JONES) will attend before the Council for the discussion of this item).
12th November 1971 (CR 10/4803/63 III)
COUNCIL CHAMBER
CONFIDENTIAL
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