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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1977

IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR, SIMPLE HOUSING POLICY STRESSED

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IT IS MOST IMPORTANT POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO CLARIFY ITS POLICY AND TO SIMPLIFY

ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT POLICY, REV. THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+EVEN NOW, IT INVOLVES SOME TWO MILLION PEOPLE. EVEN A SMALL ERROR OR MISUNDERSTANDING AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES A BIG ISSUE, HE SAID.

+WHAT IS NEEDED TO REMOVE CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTAND ING IS A CLEAR ACCOUNT OR DESCRIPTION OF WHAT INGREDIENTS ITEMIZED IN DETAILS MAKE UP THE TOTAL RENT THAT MR. X MUST PAY IN Y ESTATE FOR A ROOM OF Z SQUARE FEET.

+ IT WOULD BE GOOD ALSO TO SHOW HOW AND WHY THIS COMPARES WITH WHAT MR. A PAYS IN B ESTATE FOR A ROOM OF C SQUARE FEET.+

+MENTION MIGHT ALSO BE MADE OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS ANY RELATIONSHIP, VISIBLE OR INVISIBLE, BETWEEN SUCH ACTUAL RENTS AND THE FUNDING OF FUTURE MORE EXPENSIVE ESTATES IN WHICH NEITHER MR. X NOR MR. A IS EVER LIKELY TO LIVE,+ REV. MCGOVERN SAID.

HE WELCOMED THE +NEW AND REALISTIC+ FINANCIAL DEAL FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WHICH OPENED THE WAY FOR CLARIFICATION AND SIMPLIFICATION.

HE WAS HAPPY TO NOTE THAT THE LATEST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE AUTHORITY SAID IT COULD NOW TAKE A FRESH VIEW OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE RENT PACKAGE.

HE HOPED THAT THE NEW VIEW WOULD NOT BECOME A STATISTICAL RAZZLE-DAZZLE+ AND SUGGESTED THAT IF NO IRRELEVANT COMPARISONS WERE MADE WITH RENTS IN THE RAPACIOUS PRIVATE SECTOR+

CREDIBILITY WOULD BE GREATLY ENHANCED.

+ IT WOULD ALSO HELP IF THE VIEW SUPPRESSES ANY SUB-CONSCIOUS PATERNAL ISTIC ATTITUDE, HE SAID, LOOKING ON TENANTS AS PEOPLE ENJOYING A PRIVILEGE RATHER THAN A RIGHT JUST BECAUSE LAND FOR BUILDING WAS SUBSIDISED.

THE GOVERNOR'S ASSURANCE IN HIS POLICY SPEECH, THAT THE AUTHORITY +ACCEPTS ITS OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE DECENT HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME GROUPS AT RENTS THEY CAN AFFORD+

SHOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS THE NEEDED CLARIFICATION, REV. MCGOVERN CONTINUED.

/+THIS LOGICALLY

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