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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1988
BALANCED HOUSING PROGRAMME TO MEET ALL NEEDS BY 2001
THE RECENTLY-REORGANISED HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL WORK OUT A BALANCED PROGRAMME WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE VARIOUS HOUSING NEEDS, AND WILL USE ITS RESOURCES FLEXIBLY IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMME, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DONALD LIAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
HE WAS SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, AND REPLYING TO COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS MADE BY MEMBERS REGARDING HOUSING, SPORTS, CULTURAL AND ARTS ACTIVITIES, AND BUILDING MANAGEMENT.
MR LIAO SAID ALTHOUGH THE VERY SUBSTANTIAL DEMAND FOR RENTAL PUBLIC HOUSING WAS EXPECTED TO BE SATISFIED BY 1996 UNDER THE LONG TERM HOUSING STRATEGY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RECOGNISED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A STRONG DEMAND FOR HOME OWNERSHIP.
MEANWHILE, RENTAL FLATS COULD CONTINUR TO BE TRANSFERRED ΤΟ THE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMME AND A NEW HOME PURCHASE LOAN SCHEME WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED,
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AIMED TO SATISFY ALL HOUSING DEMANDS IN ALL CATEGORIES BY THE YEAR 2001.
EXISTING AND
NEW
ΤΟ
MR LIAO GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE AUTHORITY WOULD CONTINUE UPGRADE THE STANDARDS OF FLATS PRODUCED UNDER THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME.
NEW RENTAL PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEMES, HE SAID, WOULD PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF FACILITIES AND ANCILLIARY AMENITIES.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ALSO REGULARLY UPDATED THE DESIGN OF HOUSING BLOCKS TO ENSURE THAT THEY SATISFIED PREVAILING DEMANDS AND EXPECTATIONS. A NEW GENERATION OF BLOCK TYPES WOULD BE FINALISED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY REDEVELOPED THE REMAINING OLD RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS AND FORMER GOVERNMENT LOW COST HOUSING ESTATES BETWEEN NOW AND 2001, BLOCKS COMPLETED AFTER 1973 WOULD REMAIN IN USE AND THESE COULD PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF RELATIVELY CHEAP ACCOMMODATION FOR THOSE WHO COULD ONLY AFFORD LOWER RENTS.
REPLYING TO COMMENTS BY OTHER MEMBERS, MR LIAO SAID GROUPS IN THE PERFORMING ARTS FIELD DESERVED ALL THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD GIVE.
/A SUBSTANTIAL