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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1984
+THIS INVOLVED WIDESPREAD PUBLIC CONSULTATION, INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL DISTRICT BOARDS AND MANY INTEREST GROUPS.
+ THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS NOW APPROVED MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
+THESE INCLUDE ALLOWING SINGLE PERSONS TO APPLY FOR SPECIALLY DESIGNED UNITS IN RENTAL HOUSING, WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO OCCUPANTS OF TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS; ALLOWING TWO-PERSON FAMILIES TO APPLY FOR BOTH RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS; AND THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL NON-FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AIMED AT ENCOURAGING EXISTING HOUSING AUTHORITY TENANTS TO APPLY FOR HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS. + I FEEL SURE THAT THESE NEW INITIATIVES WILL BE WELCOMED BY ALL, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SAID HIGHER LEVELS OF HOUSING PRODUCTION HAD ALSO ENABLED THE GOVERNMENT TO RETHINK ITS SQUATTER CLEARANCE PLANS.
IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO SEE THE WAY AHEAD TO THE REHOUSING OF ALL SQUATTERS IN URBAN AREAS, INCLUDING BOAT SQUATTERS AND OTHERS ON LAND NOT EARMARKED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
+1 AM CONSCIOUS OF THE PER ILS INHERENT IN SUCH PREDICTIONS, BUT, PROVIDED WE CAN MAINTAIN PRODUCTION AND PROVIDED IMMIGRATION REMAINS LOW, THE MAIN URBAN SQUATTER SITES SHOULD BE CLEARED BY THE EARLY 1990'S, HE SAID,
HE SAID THAT AS HE HAD PROMISED, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OLD MARK AND I RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS HAD BEEN ACCELERATED.
+BY THE EARLY 1990'S, THE KOWLOON CENTRAL ESTATES, WHICH PRESENTLY HOUSE NO LESS THAN 105 000 PEOPLE, WILL BE IMPROVED TO STANDARDS MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE PRESENT TIMES, HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT THE RECENT DEPRESSION IN THE PROPERTY MARKET HAD LED TO A DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH ONLY 20 000 COMPLETIONS EXPECTED THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
+THERE ARE, HOWEVER, SOME PROMISING SIGNS, PARTICULARLY IN THE MARKET FOR SMALL RESIDENTIAL FLATS, AND PRODUCTION IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO ABOUT 27 000 UNITS IN 1985, + HE SAID.
AT PRESENT, SOME 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN PRIVATE SECTOR ACCOMMODATION.
HALF OF THEM ARE OWNER-OCCUPIERS, REFLECTING THE +GROWING AND VERY ENCOURAGING+ TREND IN HOME OWNERSHIP, SIR EDWARD SAID.
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