XN000022-1982-04-14 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1982

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RECORD PRODUCTION OF 39 470 FLATS IN PUBLIC SECTOR

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TOTAL HOUSING PRODUCTION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR REACHED AN ALL-TIME RECORD OF 39 470 FLATS IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR JUST COMPLETED.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO.

HE SAID THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S OUTPUT AGAIN EXCEEDED THE TARGET OF 35 000 FLATS WHILE THE HOUSING SOCIETY MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF A FURTHER 3 725 FLATS.

HE ADDED THAT THE AUTHORITY WAS NOW IN A POSITION TO MAINTAIN AND EVEN IMPROVE ON THIS LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

TURNING TO CARE FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID THE AUTHORITY NOW HAD 13 HOSTELS AND 35 SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE AGED ON ITS ESTATES, AND OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WOULD PROVIDE 25 MORE HOSTELS ON NEW ESTATES.

+ IN ADDITION, THE AUTHORITY HAS, SINCE 1979, ALLOCATED A QUOTA OF PUBLIC HOUSING FLATS EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE ELDERLY, WHO ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE NORMAL INCOME LIMITS, AND WHO HAVE TO WAIT ONLY ABOUT TWO YEARS, HE SAID.

+MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE, OF COURSE, ALSO HOUSED EACH YEAR UNDER THE COMPASSIONATE QUOTA,+

MR LIAO SAID THE AUTHORITY WOULD ALSO LOOK INTO WAYS OF GIVING SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO FAMILIES PREPARED TO ACCOMMODATE AND CARE FOR THEIR ELDERLY MEMBERS.

TURNING TO THE SUGGESTION THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD GROWN RELATIVELY PROSPEROUS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO VACATE PUBLIC HOUSING IN FAVOUR OF THOSE IN GREATER NEED, MR LIAO SAID:

+THIS IS A SUGGESTION OFTEN MADE, BUT ONE WHICH WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT AND COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY ADVERSE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES.

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*THE PERIODIC MEANS-TESTING OF ALL HOUSING AUTHORITY TENANTS ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION - WOULD IN ITSELF BE A MASSIVE AND VERY COSTLY UNDERTAKING, WHICH MIGHT NOT BE COST-EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF FLATS LIKELY TO BE RECOVERED.

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+QUITE APART FROM THIS, SUCH A POLICY COULD BE SEEN AS DISCOURAGING TENANTS FROM BETTERING THEIR LOT, AND PERHAPS LEAD TO PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TAKING ON THE STIGMA OF BEING SIMPLY SECOND-CLASS HOUSING FOR THE UNDERPRIVILIGED.

HE ADDED HOWEVER THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE BETTER-OFF TENANTS TO MOVE OUT OF RENTED PUBLIC HOUSING, EITHER VOLUNTARILY OR INTO HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS.

BY THE