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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1979
LOCAL TEACHERS ELIGIBLE FOR SURPLUS SAI KUNG FLATS
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED THE SALE OF 26 VACANT FLATS IN THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME BLOCKS TO TEACHERS OF GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDISED SCHOOLS IN SAI KUNG, WHO ARE NOT ALREADY HOME OWNERS, TO MEET THEIR IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEED.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (FRIDAY) THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. MICHAEL STONE, SAID THAT THESE FLATS WERE AMONG THE 408 IN SAJ KUNG TOWN BUILT BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 1975 TO REHOUSE VILLAGERS AFFECTED BY THE WATER SCHEME.
AS SOME FAMILIES HAD CHOSEN TO ACCEPT CASH COMPENSATION IN LIEU OF RE-ACCOMMODATION, A NUMBER OF FLATS WAS LEFT VACANT.
+WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THE DISPOSAL OF THE SURPLUS FLATS, I RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS FROM LOCAL SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO WANTED TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, INSTEAD OF COMMUTING FROM TOWN, BUT WHO WERE UNABLE TO AFFORD ANY OF THE PROPERTIES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE,+ MR. STONE SAID.
+THE DISTRICT HAS EXPERIENCED A BOOM IN THE MARKET FOR LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, WHICH HAS PLACED IT BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE ACTUALLY WORKING LOCALLY.
*THE OPPORTUNITY THEREFORE EXISTED TO DISPOSE OF SOME OF THE FLATS AND TO SATISFY A GENUINE LOCAL HOUSING NEED AT THE SAME TIME.+
EACH FLAT MEASURES 64 SQUARE METRES AND WILL BE SOLD AT FULL MARKET VALUE OF BETWEEN $165 000 AND $200 000, DEPENDING ON WHICH FLOOR THE UNIT IS LOCATED.
+FULL-TIME TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING IN GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT-SUBSIDISED SCHOOLS SITUATED NORTH OF THE JUNCTION OF HIRAM'S HIGHWAY AND CLEAR WATER BAY ROAD IN SAI KUNG ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY, MR. STONE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA 1
* HAVE TAUGHT IN THE SAI KUNG AREA FOR THE PAST FIVE
YEARS-
* BE UNDER 56 YEARS OF AGE- AND
* ARE NOT OWNERS OF ANY OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
+ONE OTHER CONDITION OF SALE IS THAT A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SELL HIS FLAT ON THE OPEN MARKET FOR FIVE YEARS,+ MR. STONE SAID.
+ IF THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IS IN EXCESS OF THE AVAILABLE FLATS, SELECTION BY BALLOT WILL BE HELD.+
/APPLICATION FORMS.....