LAND AND HOUSING
161
of the inhabitants were shown in the results of a housing survey, carried out at Government expense by the Hong Kong University in August 1957 at the request of the Special Committee. This survey covered 1,265,000 persons, consisting of 267,000 house- holds, living in the regular housing of the urban area. In general, the position shown is one of gross overcrowding, with the major proportion of the households having a family income below $300 a month, being unable to afford more than $60 a month in rent, rates and all connected payments, and inhabiting a living area less than 120 square feet, which is the area of the standard room in the Resettlement multi-storey estates. 79% of all households were sharing the accommodation they occupied. 95,000 households were living in cubicles, 43,000 in bedspaces, 8,000 in cocklofts and 4,000 on verandahs. Only 20,400 households had accommodation which included a living room not used for sleeping.
The seriousness of the position has long been appreciated, although it has not previously been known exactly how bad it is. In succeeding paragraphs are described some of the ways in which the Government, in many cases in association with private enter- prise, is seeking to remedy the housing shortage.
Since the war land has been made available by Government at about one-third of the estimated market value in order to encour- age non-profit-making housing projects by a number of voluntary societies catering for the general public, or by larger employers for their own employees.
Amongst the voluntary societies, the principal role has so far been played by the Hong Kong Housing Society, the pioneer locally in the field of low-cost housing. The Society, formed in 1948 as an off-shoot of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and incorporated by Ordinance in 1951 as a separate body, now manages a total of 2,476 flats, cottages and shops accommodating approximately 15,017 people, an increase of 1,021 properties during the year 1958. It has been aided by loans both from the Colony's Development Fund and grants from United Kingdom Colonial Development and Welfare funds. In addition, a scheme was started in 1957 whereby commercial firms could lend money to the society for building purposes and in return have allocated