WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1991
"IF SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE GENUINELY HOMELESS, THEY WOULD BE OFFERED TEMPORARY HOUSING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
"PROBLEMS WILL ARISE, HOWEVER, IN THOSE CASES WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE STRONG TIES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AND REFUSE то MOVE TO OTHER DISTRICTS, PARTICULARLY TO THE NEW TERRITORIES," HE SAID.
TO ASSIST IN MEETING THE REHOUSING NEEDS OF THE 1,000 LODGERS IN THE SECOND CATEGORY, MR TSAO SAID THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS HAD GENEROUSLY AGREED TO MAKE AVAILABLE PROPERTIES FOR CONVERSTON INTO HOSTELS.
"ONE SUCH BUILDING IS IN WAN CHAI AND WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED
TO TURN IT INTO A HOSTEL FOR 50 SINGLE MEN.
"ANOTHER BUILDING IN MONG KOK WILL PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR 200 AND THE NECESSARY ALTERATIONS AND FITTING OUT WORKS WILL COMMENCE TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, HE SAID.
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MR TSAO POINTED OUT THAT IN ORDER то SECURE SUFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION FOR THE REMAINING 750 LODGERS, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT $56 MILLION WOULD BE REQUIRED то PURCHASE PROPERTIES AND FURNITURE.
**THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS ALREADY AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO DONATE $20 MILLION AS A SOCIAL PROJECT.
"AS REGARDS THE BALANCE OF FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE CHINESE TEMPLES COMMITTEE, AT ITS MEETING YESTERDAY, APPROVED A DONATION OF $40 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL CHINESE CHARITIES FUND." HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE NET ASSETS OF THE GENERAL CHINESE CHARITIES FUND WOULD NOT BE UNDULY DEPLETED, AS ANY PROPERTY PURCHASED WITH MONEY FROM THE FUND WOULD BE OWNED BY THE CHINESE TEMPLES COMMITTEE, AND LEASED OUT TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS INTERESTED IN RUNNING AND MANAGING HOSTELS.
"THE AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND THE HOUSING SOCIETY HAVE ALREADY AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO OPERATE SUCH HOSTELS AND WE ARE NOW DISCUSSING DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS WITH THEM, HE SAID.
EARLIER, MR TSAO SAID THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REGULATE THE SAFETY STANDARDS IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WAS TO INTRODUCE A "LICENSING SCHEME".
REFERRING TO SOME MEMBERS' CONCERN OVER THE RENTAL LEVELS OF THE BEDSPACE APARTMENTS UPON ENFORCEMENT OF LICENSING CONTROL, HE SAID THAT GUIDED BY AN EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED IN MONG KOK LAST YEAR, RENTS IN IMPROVED BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WOULD RISE BUT IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SUCH AS TO FORCE OCCUPANTS INTO THE STREETS.
"HOWEVER, MEMBERS' WARNINGS AND CONCERNS NOTED. WE WILL PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO EXERCISE, HE ADDED.
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