HOUSING
151
accommodation to be provided are still under discussion, the general intention being to house about 30,000 persons in blocks of flats varying from 12 to 16 storeys. Two schools are to be included, and the total capital cost of this estate will be of the order of $50 million. This 19-acre site slopes from south to north, and the blocks, most of which will face south over the harbour, will for the most part be on different levels, a situation which is favourable to the provision of adequate light and air. There will be plenty of covered area and open recreation space on the estate.
Preliminary consideration is also being given to the plan- ning of a fourth estate, to be built on a 26-acre site specially reserved by the Government to the north-east of Kai Tak Airport.
As this planning and building work has proceeded, the initial steps are being taken in the selection of tenants. The Authority's waiting list was opened on 1st November, 1956, and special publicity was given to the basic conditions of eligibility and the general principles which would govern selection. At present an application is considered only if the applicant is over 21 years of age, has lived in Hong Kong at least since mid-1948, and has an income between $300 and $900 a month. During November and December 17,168 application forms were issued, and by the end of the year 4,835 completed forms had been received from applicants who on the face of it satisfied the basic conditions. Completed forms were coming in steadily at the rate of about 70 a day. A start has also been made on visiting applicants in their homes in order to check particulars given and collect further relevant information. 470 of these visits had been made by the end of December. Allocation of tenancies is to be made in accordance with a points system in which much the most important factor is the applicants' housing need.
Considerable steps have, therefore, been taken towards