17 -
Waiting time for public rental flats
Following is a question by the Hon Lee Wing-tat and a reply by the Secretary for Housing, Mr Dominic Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
As the Governor has pledged in his Policy Address this year that the Government will reduce the average waiting time for public rental flats to five years by 2001, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether, in working out the above-mentioned waiting time for public rental flats, it has taken into account such factors as the estimated number of public rental flats to be vacated by public housing tenants who are successful in their applications for Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats, the prices of HOS flats, and the opportunities of allocation of public rental flats; if so, how are such figures arrived at; and
(b) whether, in view of the fact that there are different categories of applicants on the waiting list, private housing tenants who apply for public rental flats will also be allocated public housing units within five years?
Answer:
Mr President,
We estimate that the supply of public rental housing in the six years between April 1995 and April 2001 will be in the region of 241,000 flats. This figure comprises the 141,000 new flats to which we are committed, and about 100,000 flats to be vacated by tenants of flats not subject to redevelopment, including those who purchase Home Ownership Scheme flats (about 88,000 flats), those who will benefit from the Home Purchase Loan Scheme (6,000 flats), and those who move into private sector accommodation, emigrate or otherwise move out voluntarily (about 6,000 flats).
After meeting estimated demand during these six years arising from public housing redevelopment (about 84,000 flats), squatter area and Temporary Housing Area clearances (about 35,500 flats), and other committed categories such as emergency rehousing, compassionate rehousing and housing for junior civil servants (about 27,500 flats), we estimate that 94,000 flats will be available for direct allocation to eligible applicants on the General Waiting List during this period, or an average of over 15,000 flats per year.
Page 30Page 31