XN000022-1980-11-19 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1980

ON A SUGGESTION THAT THE PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC HOUSING BE FURTHER INCREASED, HE SAID IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT 35 000 FLATS WAS VERY HIGH BY ANY STANDARDS AND ANY INCREASE MUST BE GRADUAL AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES+.

TURNING TO THE GENERAL HOUSING SITUATION, MR LIAO SAID THAT THE LATEST REVIEW OF THE SUPPLY OF AND DEMAND FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOUSING, AND OF CURRENT HOUSING POLICIES, SHOWED A STEADILY IMPROVING HOUSING SITUATION SINCE 1973 AND FORECAST FURTHER IMPROVEMENT TO CONTINUE INTO THE MID-BO'S.

+GIVEN THE RECENT MEASURES INTRODUCED BY GOVERNMENT TO CONTAIN IMMIGRATION AND ASSUMING THE CURRENT HIGH LEVEL OF PRODUCTION OF 65 000 FLATS PER YEAR OVERALL IS MAINTAINED, THEN THE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS IN PERMANENT DOMESTIC ACCOMMODATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY, HẺ

SAID.

+ IF THIS LEVEL OF PRODUCTION CAN BE IMPROVED BY A STEADY GROWTH OF SAY FIVE PER CENT ANNUALLY FROM THE MID-1980'S, THE SHORTFALL OF SELF-CONTAINED HOUSING WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED BY THE END OF THE PRESENT DECADE.

+EVERY EFFORT IS NOW BEING MADE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT LAND AND OTHER RESOURCES TO THIS END.+

IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR HOME OWNERSHIP IN HONG KONG AND TO SUPPLEMENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR'S OUTPUT OF 30 000 FLATS, MR LIAO SAID GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO CONTINUE ITS HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME TO PROVIDE AT LEAST 5 000 FLATS A YEAR.

+A NEW PROGRAMME FOR MIDDLE-INCOME FAMILIES WILL BE INTRODUCED FROM 1983/84 ONWARDS AS AN EXTENSION TO THE CURRENT HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, HE SAID.

+ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS NEW SCHEME WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEARER THE TIME OF COMPLETION OF THE FLATS AND THIS WILL MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SOLVING THE HOUSING PROBLEMS OF WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE SANDWICHED' SOCIETY.+

THIS PROGRAMME WOULD PE CARRIED OUT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS ON THE LINES OF THE SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEMES, HE ADDED.

FINALLY MR LIAO WARNED THAT IN WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO HONG KONG'S HOUSING PROBLEMS IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF RESOURCES BY BOTH LOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WILL BE NEEDED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.+