HOUSING
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Rents are reviewed on a biennial basis and adjusted to take account of increases in rates, maintenance and other costs, estate values in terms of location, facilities and services provided, as well as tenants' ability to pay. On average, public housing tenants are paying seven per cent of their income as rent. Owing to the very low rents in old estates where maintenance and improvement costs are high, there is an overall deficit in the Housing Authority's estate working account for domestic properties.
Some 700 premises in estates are let for the provision of welfare and community services. They are charged at a concessionary rent of $15 per square metre per month, exclusive of rates. In addition, offices are also let to District Board and OMELCO members, Urban and Regional Councillors at full market rents.
Management
Upon re-organisation of the Housing Authority in April, the new chairman began making regular goodwill visits to various housing estates and HOS courts, meeting representatives of the community. In addition, members of the Housing Authority and Management Committee, accompanied by senior officers of the department, visited estates to enhance their understanding of management activities, and also met members of mutual aid committees for informal exchanges of views on the management of the estates. At estate level, housing managers also maintained periodic meetings with mutual aid committee office-bearers on management matters.
Since the implementation of the Housing Subsidy Policy in April 1988 41 000 house- holds with 23 or more years of residence in housing estates were required to declare their household incomes. Twenty-one per cent of households with incomes exceeding the subsidy income limit, which is twice the amount for waiting list applicants, had to pay double net rents. Another batch of 62 000 households with 19 to 22 years of residence in housing estates were notified in April, to declare their family incomes for the purpose of im- plementing the housing subsidy policy. Those with household incomes exceeding twice the waiting list limits will be required to pay double net rents in April 1989.
The first sheltered housing run by the department was opened in November 1987 at Heng On Estate, Ma On Shan, to house 145 able-bodied elderly persons aged 60 years and over. A warden service is provided. It is planned to incorporate these facilities in 14 more estates over the next five years.
During the year, agency management was further extended to four Home Ownership Scheme courts, making a total of six courts under the management of private property management agents. A further scheme is being tried in two new courts where the agents will be expected to assume the management role before the buildings are taken over. Under the agency management scheme, the Housing Authority remains ultimately responsible for the management standards and level of management fees.
Under the Housing (Traffic) By-laws which empower the Housing Authority to impose charges for impounding and removing vehicles which are illegally parked in housing estates, the roads in 117 estates, nine factories and 37 HOS courts are now under the authority's control.
A three-year contract, effective from November 1987, was awarded to a private management company to manage carparks in 28 selected estates as a pilot scheme. The performance of the company will be evaluated and reviewed later in the year before a decision is taken on whether to extend the scheme to other estates.
Staff of the Estate Management Branch have been required to work irregular hours to keep hawking activities within housing estates under control. Apart from the efforts of the