Housing 217
Rent Assistance
The Rent Assistance Scheme (RAS) was introduced by the HKHA in 1992 to help public housing tenants facing temporary financial difficulties. Currently, eligible tenants are offered rent cuts of 25 or 50 per cent. Families living in newer blocks are required to live in them for a period of two years before being eligible to apply for assistance. As at December 2010, about 11 800 households were receiving RAS.
Better-off Tenants
Under existing policy, better-off tenants are required to pay higher rents. At the end of December, about 25 200 households were paying higher rents. Tenants who have lived in public housing estates for more than 10 years have to move out if their household incomes and assets have exceeded the Subsidy Income Limits and Net Assets Limits set by the HKHA. Those who choose not to declare their household assets have to surrender their flats to the HKHA.
Estate Clearance
So Uk Estate's Phase 2 clearance is scheduled to be completed in April 2012, requiring some 6 300 people from 2 400 families to move out. About 1 300 families were rehoused in 2010.
Clearance of Block 22, in Tung Tau (1) Estate, which started in January 2008, will be completed in 2012. It houses some 900 families, comprising 1 500 people. Clearance of Interim Housing Block 12 in Kwai Shing East Estate, which started in July 2008, was completed in August 2010. Some 600 people from about 200 families moved out.
Sustainable Public Housing Stock
The HKHA adopts a life-cycle maintenance strategy to keep its public housing stock economically, socially and environmentally stable. Under its 'Total Maintenance Scheme' introduced in 2006, Inspection Ambassadors carry out flat checks and make arrangements on the spot for minor repairs or improvements to flats. As at end 2010, the scheme had been implemented in 177 estates.
Estates over, or approaching, 40 years old are monitored under a HKHA Comprehensive Structural Investigation Programme to ensure they are safe to live in and are economically sustainable. Of the 14 estates inspected so far, two had to be cleared and 12 needed repairs to extend their use for at least another 15 years. Similar inspections and remedial work will be carried out on 28 other old estates.
The HKHA has an ongoing 'Estate Improvement Programme' for providing quality service and a good living environment for its tenants. It also has a lift installation programme for improving accessibility in the external areas as well as in the buildings that have no lifts.
Allocation
In 2010, about 27 560 public rental housing flats were allocated to various rehousing categories by the HKHA and the HKHS. About 11 410 of these were new flats and about 16 150 were refurbished flats. Of these, about 61 per cent were