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LAND AND HOUSING
with a technical planning target to house 290,000 by 1974. The costs are estimated at $197 million and $353 million respectively. Maintenance and management of the Authority's estates and of the government low-cost housing estates is of a high standard, and includes rent collection and supervision by trained housing managers, maintenance officers and assistants. The staff of the Authority are all government servants working in the housing division of the Urban Services Department under the direction of the Commissioner for Housing. The Authority reimburses all staff salaries to the govern- ment plus a percentage surcharge calculated to meet indirect staff costs such as pensions, housing and medical treatment.
A number of voluntary organizations have built housing for lower and middle income groups during recent years. The largest of these is the Hong Kong Housing Society, a pioneer in the field of low-cost housing in the Colony. The Society has now housed 82,632 people in 13,353 flats on nine estates in different parts of the Colony. The rents of these flats are $37 a month for a small room with communal facilities, and a maximum of $165 a month for a larger room with adjoining kitchen, toilet and balcony. The estates are well laid out with playgrounds and gardens. The year was the busiest in the Society's history, with almost 5,000 new flats completed housing 30,944 people. Funds for the Society's schemes are normally provided by the government at low interest rates. The Society also operates a loan scheme under which firms lend money to cover the cost of constructing flats and in return are given a lease of accommodation for nominated employees. These loans are interest-free and are repayable over 20 years.
Other voluntary organizations have made contributions. The Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation has recently completed five blocks at an estate at Tai Hang Sai, with 822 flats for 5,192 people. The Catholic Relief Services, in co-operation with Caritas- Hong Kong, has built 69 housing units at Sai Kung for fishermen's families. Industrial concerns frequently provide flats or dormitory- type accommodation for their employees, and some also provide housing. Since 1950 land has been made available by the government at one-third of its estimated value to encourage non-profit-making workers' housing projects.
The government helps its junior local staff by reserving for them 15 per cent of all domestic accommodation in government