HOUSING
There are some 284 000 households with 10 years' residence in public housing, and around 24 per cent of these will be required to pay double rent.
Rent Assistance
A new Rent Assistance Scheme was started in September 1992, to grant temporary rent relief to domestic tenants in public housing estates facing financial hardship.
A public housing domestic tenant whose rent-to-income ratio exceeds 25 per cent as a result of an increase in rent or a reduction in household income after moving in may apply for rent assistance. This will take the form of a rent reduction for a period of six months and be renewable for a further six months if the rent-to-income ratio still exceeds 25 per cent.
The amount of reduction will be 25 per cent for tenants whose ratio exceeds 25 per cent, or 50 per cent for those whose ratio exceeds 33 per cent.
Tenants who still have financial difficulty after 12 months may arrange to transfer to cheaper housing in the same district. They will be entitled to a domestic removal allowance and a rent-free period of one month on transfer.
A family which has already moved to cheaper housing because of hardship but whose ratio still exceeds 25 per cent will be entitled to further rent assistance, subject to review at six-month intervals.
So far, 195 families have benefited from the scheme.
Agency Management Scheme
Under an agency management scheme, 33 Home Ownership Estates are managed by private property management agents appointed and supervised by the authority.
The scheme aims to provide more flexibility and to encourage greater participation by owners in the day-to-day management of their own properties, with the authority remaining ultimately responsible for management standards and policy.
Housing Information Centres
For the benefit of residents of private buildings affected by redevelopment, the authority established two Housing Information Centres in conjunction with the City and New Territories Administration. With the support of the Social Welfare Department, Labour Department, Education Department and Rating and Valuation Department, these centres provide enquiry and advisory services to the residents on matters relating to public housing, education, employment, social welfare, and their rights under existing tenancies.
One centre is located at Mong Kok District Office; the other is at Wan Chai District Office.
Management
Visits are regularly made by the chairman and members of the authority to the estates to meet community representatives and for informal exchanges of views.
Illegal Parking and Hawking
Much attention is given to the problem of illegal parking on the roads in the 138 rental estates, nine factory estates, 44 home ownership courts and 24 temporary housing areas under the control of the authority.
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