WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1976
LONG TERM RE-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR OLDER PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES
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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS A LONG TERM PROGRAMME FOR RE-DEVELOPING OLDER ESTATE BLOCKS WITH THE AIM OF SOLVING THE OVERCROWDING PROBLEM THERE,
THIS WAS REVEALED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. IAN LIGHTBODY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. JAMES WU.
HE SAID THE PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING WOULD DISAPPEAR AS FAMILIES IN THESE ESTATES WERE ALLOCATED FLATS IN NEW ESTATES AT A MUCH MORE GENEROUS SPACE STANDARD.
HE NOTED THAT THE RE-DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HAD ALREADY BEGUN IN 18 ESTATE BLOCKS AND WOULD TAKE ABOUT 15 YEARS TO COMPLETE.
+APART FROM RE-DEVELOPMENT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS VIGOROUSLY ATTACKING THE OVERCROWDING PROBLEM BY EARMARK ING SOME OF ITS NEW ACCOMMODATION, AS WELL AS ALMOST ALL FLATS WHICH FALL VACANT IN THE OLDER ESTATES, FOR THIS PURPOSE,+ MR. LIGHTBODY ADDED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT SINCE 1973, THE VOLUNTARY REMOVAL OF OVERCROWDED FAMILIES TO LARGER FLATS IN NEW ESTATES HAD BEEN ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED.
HOWEVER, THE RESPONSE UNDER THIS PLAN HAD NOT BEEN VERY GREAT SO FAR AND MANY FAMILIES APPARENTLY PREFERRED TO STAY IN OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IN CENTRALLY LOCATED OLD ESTATES RATHER THAN MOVE OUT TO MUCH BETTER ACCOMMODATION IN THE MORE DISTANT ESTATES.
+DURING 1975/76, A TOTAL OF 6,700 FAMILIES MOVED TO MORE SPACIOUS PUBLIC HOUSING ACCOMMODATION. IT IS EXPECTED THAT EVEN MORE FAMILIES WILL OBTAIN RELIEF FROM OVERCROWDING DURING 1976/77 BECAUSE OF THE QUICKENED PACE OF REDEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFERS WITHIN ESTATES.+
MR. LIGHTBODY SAID THE OVERCROWDING OFTEN RESULTED NOT ONLY FROM THE ADDITION OF CHILDREN TO THE FAMILY BUT FROM THEIR DECISION TO HAVE OTHER RELATIVES STAY WITH THEM, OR BY THEIR OWN CHILDREN MARRYING AND HAVING THEIR FAMILIES IN THE ORIGINAL UNITS.
HE STRESSED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TRIED TO KEEP OVERCROWD ING FROM THESE CAUSES DOWN TO THE MINIMUM BY ALLOWING ONLY ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TENANT'S CHILDREN TO REMAIN IN THE FLAT WITH HIS OR HER SPOUSE.
/IN REPLY
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