XN000022-1982-11-10 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1982

PUBLIC HOUSING RENTS AMONG WORLD'S LOWEST

IN RELATION TO INCOMES, LEGCO TOLD

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HONG KONG'S PUBLIC HOUSING RENTS ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S LOWEST IN RELATION TO TENANTS' INCOMES, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON DONALD LIAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE SAID BRINGING THE PRESENT RENTS TO A LEVEL AROUND 20 PER CENT OF THE TENANT'S INCOME AS SUGGESTED BY THE HON F.K. HU WOULD REQUIRE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE WHICH WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE IN OUR SITUATION, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A PERCENTAGE GENERALLY ACCEPTED

INTERNATIONALLY+,

+ IT IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S POLICY THAT DOMESTIC RENTS SHOULD AT LEAST COVER THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE, AND THIS IS BEING ACHIEVED THROUGH REGULAR AND GRADUAL INCREASES.+

AND RENT ASSISTANCE WAS ALREADY BEING GIVEN TO NEEDY FAMILIES UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, HE ADDED.

ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME, MR LIAO SAID THE CURRENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR MAINTAINING THE PRODUCTION OF 35 000 RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS AND RELATED FACILITIES AMOUNTED TO ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON CAPITAL WORKS.

+THIS REPRESENTS A MORE THAN 10-FOLD INCREASE OVER A PERIOD OF SIX YEARS, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS HIGH LEVEL OF HOUSING PRODUCTION CAN AT LEAST BE MAINTAINED IN THE REMAINDER OF THE DECADE.+

HE SAID THE LARGEST QUOTA OF NEW RENTAL FLATS HAD BEEN CONSISTENTLY ALLOCATED TO WAITING LIST APPLICANTS, AND MANY FAMILIES ON THE WAITING LIST WERE NOW MOVING TO NEW ESTATES IN SHEUNG SHUT AND TUEN MUN AFTER A WAIT OF THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

ON INCOME ELIGIBILITY LIMITS, MR LIAO SAID THESE HAD JUST BEEN RAISED TO A LEVEL WHICH INCLUDED ALL FAMILIES WHO COULD NOT AFFORD TO RENT ADEQUATE PRIVATE HOUSING OR TO BUY HOS FLATS.

+IN THIS WAY, IT IS HOPED THAT ALL THOSE WHO REQUIRE HOUSING ASSISTANCE WILL BE COVERED BY DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES,+ HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE SUGGESTION BY DR THE HON HENRY HU TO RE-EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF A MEANS TEST FOR PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS, THE SECRETARY SAID SUCH A SCHEME WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT, WOULD NOT BE COST-EFFECTIVE AND COULD BE SEEN AS DISCOURAGING TENANTS FROM BETTERING THEIR LOT.

AS TO HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY, MR LIAO SAID THAT APART FROM HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION AND A SPECIAL WAITING LIST QUOTA, THE AUTHORITY HAD RECENTLY TAKEN ANOTHER INITIATIVE BY GIVING PRIORITY TO THOSE FAMILIES ON THE WAITING LIST WHOSE APPLICATION INCLUDED AN ELDERLY RELATIVE.

ON SQUATTERS, HE SAID THAT CONTROL HAD BEEN REGAINED, AND A NUMBER OF PILOT SCHEMES FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SQUATTER AREAS HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.

A LONG-TERLİ