174
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
Amongst the voluntary societies, the principal role has so far been played by the Hong Kong Housing Society, a non-profit- making organization which has been active for eleven years. In 1948 a group of public spirited men and women decided to form a small Committee to try to do something to improve housing conditions. Many of its original members still form the present committee. During the year the Society completed 1,301 new flats. They have now built 3,474 units in all, housing 21,643 persons, at Ma Tau Chung, Sheung Li Uk, Hung Hom, Healthy Village, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong.
Three estates were completed during the year, Hung Hom after four years, the second phase of Healthy Village, and one at Tsuen Wan. This estate of 465 flats is the first low-cost housing project to be built in the New Territories. It houses many factory workers and a day nursery is provided in the community centre.
1,481 flats are under construction at Kwun Tong, Kai Tak and Tanner Hill. Site formation began for 1,480 flats at Shau Kei Wan, while 3,847 further units are planned at Aberdeen, Shau Kei Wan and Kai Tak and on a third site at Healthy Village.
At Kwun Tong the Society runs dormitories for single factory workers in addition to family flats. The estate includes a medical clinic and shops. A community centre is also being built in one of the blocks. The rents, which are the lowest in all the Society's projects, range from $52 to $88 a month inclusive of rates, refuse collection and water charges.
The Society's Kai Tak Pilot Scheme is an experiment in solving the problem of a very large group of applicants earning less than $300 a month who are unable to afford the normal type of accom- modation and are not eligible for resettlement. The design consists of single rooms with adequate communal kitchens and one water- closet with a tap between two families. This, it is hoped, will bridge the gap between Resettlement accommodation and the individual-type flat with its own kitchen and water-closet. Appli- cants whose total family income is as low as $160 a month have been accepted for the smaller rooms on this estate.
The demand for cheap housing has been indicated by the fact that over 20,000 application forms were issued in five days when the Society's list was opened for Tanner Hill (rents $63 - $108 a month inclusive) and Kai Tak (rents $32 - $68 a month inclusive).