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HOUSING AND LAND
Temporary Housing People made homeless in disasters or by clearances who have not lived in Hong Kong long enough to qualify for permanent public housing are given stopgap accommodation in temporary housing areas run by the Housing Authority. Demand for this type of housing has increased dramatically over the past few years following scores of squatter fires. As a consequence, a crash building programme is underway to provide spaces for a further 34 000 people, bringing the total to 135 000.
Temporary housing blocks are now built as a two-storey wooden framework on a con- crete hardstanding with a pitched asbestos roof. Space is allocated to families according to family size, and the occupants construct their own internal and external walls to a given design. Each unit is provided with its own water and electricity supply, while communal lavatory facilities are located in a separate block. Since some residents may have to spend several years waiting their turn for permanent public housing, facilities such as rest and play areas, shopstalls, mutual aid committee offices and other community services are also provided. In addition, there are round-the-clock security guards and comprehensive management services. The monthly rent is about $7 per square metre.
During the year, a total of 31 500 people, including 108 000 victims of natural disasters, moved into temporary housing. This brought to 117 900 the number of people living in the 47 temporary housing areas managed by the authority.
Transit Centres
The Housing Authority also manages transit centres to provide short-term accommodation for those made homeless by fires or other natural diasters. Because of the extremely large number of people being processed for temporary housing, an industrial building in Tuen Mun was rented and converted to supplement three existing centres, bringing the total capacity of transit centres to 21 500 people.
Squatter Control and Clearance
Despite the rapid expansion of both public and private housing, there remains the problem of squatters who are not eligible for public housing and who are unable or unwilling to pay rents in the private sector. Estimates put the current squatter population at more than half a million. Because of the tremendous pressure on housing, the policy is to clear only those areas required for permanent development and to exercise strict control over the building of additional structures.
Squatters who have lived in Hong Kong for more than 10 years and who occupy huts erected before June 1, 1982, are eligible for direct permanent housing if they are made homeless by clearance or natural disaster. Others are eligible only for temporary housing. In addition, a Housing Authority policy announced in October brings boat dwellers into line with land squatters: those who have resided in Hong Kong for 10 years and have occupied their boats since June 1, 1982, are now eligible for permanent public housing if their boats are dangerous or cleared.
The 1981-2 clearance programme freed 420 hectares of land for development and resulted in the rehousing of 43 000 people - 28 000 into permanent housing and the remainder into temporary housing. In addition, 1 200 workshops and other commercial undertakings were awarded ex-gratia allowances on clearance.
The task of squatter control is to contain the growth of temporary structures on areas of Crown land required for development or where squatter structures are likely to create health, fire or structural hazards. However, the large scale of immigration in 1979