XN000022-1982-08-30 — Page 7

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1982

6

RENT ALLOWANCE INCREASED

***

RENT ALLOWANCES FOR PEOPLE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WILL BE INCREASED NEXT MONTH TO COVER RENT RISES FOR A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, A SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

/

FROM SEPTEMBER 1, THE NEW MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE FOR A SINGLE PERSON: UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WILL BE INCREASED FROM $144 TO $172, AND FROM $690 TO $828 FOR A FAMILY OF EIGHT OR MORE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS.

THE MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE IS FIXED AT 200 PER CENT OF THE HIGHEST PUBLIC HOUSING RENT FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND 150 PER CENT FOR A FAMILY WITH MORE THAN ONE MEMBER.

THE ADJUSTMENT FOLLOWS AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN JULY THAT DOMESTIC RENTS FOR 24 POST-1973 PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES WILL GO UP FROM SEPTEMBER 1.

THE SWD SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ABOUT 2 900 HOUSEHOLDS ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE RENT INCREASES. THE REVISION OF THE RENT ALLOWANCE IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE OF OVER $650 000 FOR THIS FINANCIAL YEAR AND SOME $1 MILLION FOR THE NEXT.

THE EXISTING AND THE REVISED MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCES PAYABLE UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME ARE AS FOLLOWS:

OLD RATE

$

144

NEW RATE

(EFFECTIVE FROM 1.9.82)

$

172

FOR A SINGLE PERSON

FOR A FAMILY OF:

2 3 ELIGIBLE MEMBERS

323

387

4-5 ELIGIBLE MEMBERS

479

663

6-7 ELIGIBLE MEMBERS

585

771

8 AND MORE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS 690

828

:

17