Management and transparency
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As regards management of housing estates, the Housing Society operates with a high degree of transparency. To support this view, Honourable Members may wish to note that a Tenants Newsletter is issued on a quarterly basis, giving a summary of policies, decisions and housing arrangements. Staff also meet regularly with 100 mutual aid committees and owners' incorporations for example, in the past 12 months, over 250 such meetings have been held. Any major issue which cannot be resolved at the estate level will be brought to the attention of the senior management, the Estate Management Sub-Committee or even the Executive Committee of the Housing Society, as necessary. It is also the Housing Society's practice that, before formulating new policies or changing existing policies affecting tenants or owners, residents are consulted through normal contacts or surveys, and their opinions are taken into consideration. Contrary to what some Honourable Members experience in isolated cases, the general feedback is that communication between residents and the Housing Society has been good and effective.
Nevertheless, the Housing Society will not be complacent and I will make sure that they will continue to make improvement in this regard.
At a more general level, senior staff of the Housing Society meet concern groups, District Board members and Legislative Councillors to explain and discuss the work of the Society. Staff attend meetings of District Boards and the Legislative Council Panel on Housing on matters concerning the Housing Society.
Recognising its large budget, wide range of activities and growing commitments, the Housing Society has invited the Corruption Prevention Department of the ICAC to conduct reviews of its operational systems in the past few years. Many recommendations for improvement have already been implemented, and others are being considered.
More recently, the Housing Society has commissioned a consultancy to review its governance structure and decision-making processes. This is yet another demonstration of its positive attitude towards improvement. Recommendations aimed to enhance the accountability and management of the Housing Society have been received and are being seriously considered by its Executive Committee.
Response to needs of the community
Turning to the needs of our community, I must say that the Housing Society responds by participating in the various types of housing projects I have described earlier on, namely, rental housing, elderly person units with warden service, flats for sale, Sandwich Class housing and urban renewal, and by providing good quality flats at reasonable rents or prices. It also provides space for voluntary agencies at concessionary rents. Overall, what it has been doing is very much in the public interest, particular the flats for sales scheme which contributes to the long term housing strategy of the Government.