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Balance between rental and home ownership flats production
Home ownership has long been regarded as a desirable objective in terms of its contribution to social stability and fostering a sense of belonging. Members will wish to know that while attempting to meet the demand for public rental housing, the Government will also maintain a sensible balance between an adequate supply of public rental housing and aspirations for affordable home ownership. We will continue to provide various subsidised home ownership schemes for those public rental housing tenants and others eligible, who can afford them. Indeed the Government has already pledged to provide 168,000 flats for sale in the public sector. before April 2001. This will have the effect of releasing a substantial quantity of rental flats to meet the demand of those in genuine need.
Review of housing demand
Members have raised the question of housing demand. I would like to inform this Council that we have started a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the scale and composition of housing demand in both the public and private sectors. It aims to reflect more accurately the amount of land which should be allocated for the various categories of housing in both sectors. We hope to complete this assessment in the middle of this year. Subject to the findings and a review of the Long Term Housing Strategy beyond 2001, which review will commence later this year, the Government will be prepared to identify and allocate extra sites to enable the Housing Authority and the Housing Society to produce more subsidised rental flats and flats for sale to meet confirmed demand. Similarly, we will make sufficient land available for private housing, subject to the agreement of the Sino-British Land Commission.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to reassure this Council that the Government's commitment to supply enough land to meet the housing needs of the community is as strong as ever. We are on course to meet the Governor's policy commitment last year of building 141,000 public rental flats over the next six years, and have already allocated sufficient sites for this purpose. We are also taking progressive steps to clear the backlog of applicants on the general waiting list. Subject to the findings of the comprehensive assessment of housing demand being undertaken at present and a review of the Long Term Housing Strategy, we will take positive action to identify and allocate more sites to meet the confirmed and realistic demand agreed by the Government.
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