WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986
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THEREFORE, THE PROPOSAL TO ASK TENANTS TO DECLARE THEIR INCOME SHOULD THEY WISH TO PAY THE EXISTING RENT WAS THE MOST PRACTICABLE AND LEAST DISTURBING OF ALL ALTERNATIVES, HE SAID.
ON THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS, MR HU SAID THAT IF ALL TENANTS WITH INCOMES EXCEEDING THE SUBSIDY INCOME LEVEL OPTED TO PAY DOUBLE RENT, THE ADDITIONAL RENTAL REVENUE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION WOULD AMOUNT TO $14 MILLION, BASED ON. 1985 PRICES.
THE CAPITAL COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSALS WERE ESTIMATED AT $3.3 MILLION, WITH ANOTHER $5.3 MILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENSES FOR THE FIRST YEAR, HE SAID.
MR HU THEN STRESSED THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL RESOURCES MUST BE ACHIEVED, PROVIDED THAT THE COSTS INCURRED WERE REASONABLE, THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED WAS WITHIN PERMISSIBLE LIMITS AND THE SOCIAL GAINS WOULD BENEFIT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
LASTLY, MR HU SAID SUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS HAD BEEN MADE FOR TENANTS WHO MIGHT EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN PAYING DOUBLE RENT DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED DROP IN THEIR INCOME. A SPECIAL COMMITTEE WOULD BE SET UP TO DEAL WITH SUCH CASES.
TO CATER FOR CHANGING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IT HAD ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE MEASURES TO ADDRESS HOUSING SUBSIDIES SHOULD BE REVIEWED PERIODICALLY, HE ADDED.
TOUGHER ACTION MAY BE REQUIRED
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE A FIRMER LINE ON THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC HOUSING RENT POLICY AND HOUSING SUBSIDY IF THE SOFTER LINE FAILS, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HOWEVER, HE DID HOPE THAT THE SOFTER TACTIC OF INCREASING RENT COULD REPLACE THE TOUGHER TACTIC OF EVICTING WELL-OFF TENANTS, MR CHAN SAID DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON TWO HOUSING REPORTS CONCERNING RENT POLICY AND SUBSIDY.
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE RESOURCES OF ANY SOCIETY WERE NOT UNLIMITED, AND THE BEST USE MUST BE MADE OF THEM.
THE EXISTING POLICY OF PROVIDING LIFE-LONG TENANCY AND TOLERANCE TOWARDS SUCCESSION OF TENANCY BY SONS OR DAUGHTERS WOULD SIMPLY MEAN THAT MORE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES HAD TO BE BUILT, HE SAID.
/+IT WILL