WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1979
WORKING PARTY SET UP TO LOOK INTO
HOUSING FOR FAMILIES JUST ABOVE $5 000 LIMIT
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A GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY HAS BEEN SET UP WITH THE AIM OF ARRANGING AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF FLATS FOR PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS IMMEDIATELY ABOVE $5 000 A MONTH.
THIS WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. ALAN SCOTT, DURING A LENGTHY REVIEW OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING,
MR. SCOTT IS CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING PARTY.
HE SAIDI +WE ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY THE TARGET GROUP OF HOUSEHOLDS, AND THE PRESENT AND FORECAST PRODUCTION LEVEL OF THE TYPE OF FLATS WHICH APPROXIMATELY MATCH THE TARGET GROUP IN TERMS OF INCOME AND AFFORDABILITY- AND, MOST IMPORTANT, HOW PRODUCTION CAN BE INCREASED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
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+WE SHALL AIM TO ARRANGE AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF FLATS AT REASONABLE PRICES - PERHAPS ALONG THE LINES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME – MANAGED BY AN APPROPRIATE AGENCY.+
MR. SCOTT SAID THAT THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION MUST BE SUCH AS TO HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON DEMAND, BUT POINTED OUT THAT THIS DEMAND WOULD BE RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMMES.
MORTGAGE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE LEFT TO INDIVIDUAL PURCHASERS. THE WORKING PARTY'S PROPOSALS, WHEN FINALISED, WOULD BE PUT TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL, BUT ALREADY SOME SITES HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED SUITABLE FOR FLATS BETWEEN 70 AND 100 SQ. METRES IN SIZE, HE SAID,
MR. SCOTT ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF RE-DEVELOPING 17 OF ITS OWN SITES USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES,
THESE RE-DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE DONE BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH THE PROVISO THAT PARTS OF THE RE-DEVELOPED BUILDINGS WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS OWN HOUSING PURPOSES.
BY THIS MEANS, 1 600 EXTRA GOVERNMENT QUARTERS MIGHT BE PROVIDED, THEREBY CONSIDERABLY REDUCING THE PRESSURE OF GOVERNMENT LEASING REQUIREMENTS ON EXISTING HOUSING STOCK.
ON OTHER HOUSING TOPICS MR. SCOTT SAID:
PUBLIC HOUSING:
THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME WILL THIS YEAR REACH ITS HIGHEST EVER OUTPUT OF 35 000 FLATS, AND IS +SETTLING INTO TOP GEAR FOR WHAT WILL BE A LONG RUN. +
MR. SCOTT