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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1984
DB MEMBERS AWARE OF HA'S RENT POLICY
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UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS ARE AWARE OF THE RENT POLICY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS THEY HAVE BEEN FULLY BRIEFED BY SENIOR HOUSING OFFICIALS ON THE MATTER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUTHORITY SAID: +UP TO JUNE THIS YEAR. UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF ALL 18 DBS, AT THE INVITATION OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. HAVE ATTENDED DETAILED BRIEFINGS DURING WHICH HOUSING POLICIES, INCLUDING THE RENT POLICY, WERE DISCUSSED FULLY. THE CONSIDERATIONS BEHIND THE RENT POLICY WERE WELL RECEIVED.+
+ IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE RENT POLICY OF THE AUTHORITY FOR ITS DOMESTIC FLATS IS TO MAINTAIN RENTS AT A REASONABLE LEVEL AND THAT ESTATE VALUES, TENANTS' AFFORDABILITY, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE THE MAIN FACTORS WHICH ARE GIVEN FULL AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WHEN REVIEWING PUBLIC HOUSING RENTS BIENNIALLY, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN THE RECENT RENT REVIEW FOR THE 38 POST-1973 ESTATES,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
OF THE TOTAL FLATS INVOLVED IN THIS REVIEW, HE SAID OVER 88 PER CENT WOULD HAVE THEIR RENTS INCREASED ONLY BETWEEN $51 TO $130 PER MONTH AND THE NEW RENT REPRESENTS ONLY 22 TO 38 PER CENT OF THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE.
+FOR EXAMPLE AT THE URBAN ESTATES OF SHUN ON AND TUNG TAU, THE NEW RENT FOR A 29.7 SQUARE-METRE SELF-CONTAINED FLAT FOR SEVEN PERSONS IS $345 AND $360 RESPECTIVELY.
+THE NEW RENTS WILL BE ABOUT EIGHT TO 12 PER CENT OF THE AVERAGE TENANTS' INCOMES, AND ARE CONSIDERED WELL AFFORDABLE BY THE TENANTS CONCERNED.+
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE AUTHORITY'S RENT INCREASE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN VETTED AND AGREED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
+THEY INCLUDED THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, HOUSING, HOME AFFAIRS AND FINANCE BRANCHES, AND THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.
HAVE, +BOTH THE POLICY AND THE AMOUNT OF THE INCREASE THEREFORE, RECEIVED THE MOST METICULOUS SCRUTINY BEFORE THÉ INCREASES ARE PUT INTO EFFECT.+
HE SAID THE RECENT INCREASE, EVEN IN PERCENTAGE TERMS WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE OF PREVIOUS YEARS. THIS WAS BECAUSE OF A HEFTY RISE IN RATES WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE IN APRIL THIS YEAR.
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