XN000022-1984-07-01 — Page 8

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 1984

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HOUSING ADVICE SERVICE BEING EXTENDED *****

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS TO EXTEND ITS POPULAR HOUSING ADVICE SERVICE FROM TUEN MUN TO NEW ESTATES COMING ON STREAM IN OTHER NEW TOWNS.

+THE SERVICE HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF INCOMING TENANTS ADJUST TO FRESH ENVIRONMENTS AND SETTLE DOWN QUICKLY IN NEW ESTATES IN TUEN MUN, + A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUTHORITY SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

HE SAID THAT WHEN INTAKE TO THESE ESTATES IS COMPLETED EARLY NEXT YEAR, EXPERIENCED STAFF WOULD MOVE ON TO MAN HOUSING ADVICE CENTRES IN NEW ESTATES IN SHEUNG SHUI, FANLING AND TAI PO NEW TOWNS.

+AT PRESENT, ADVICE CENTRES ARE OPERATING IN WU KING, SHAN KING AND BUTTERFLY RENTAL ESTATES, AS WELL AS IN THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME SIU HONG AND SIU SHAN COURTS.

+STAFF ATTEND TO ENQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS, PROVIDE INTAKE GUIDANCE, MAKE GOOD-WILL HOME VISITS AND PUBLICISE FACILITIES ON THE ESTATES AND IN THE NEW TOWNS THROUGH TALKS AND PAMPHLETS.

+THE SERVICE HAS PROVED INCREASINGLY POPULAR AMONG TENANTS, WITH THE NUMBER OF VISITS TO THE CENTRES RISING FROM 1 171 IN APRIL LAST YEAR TO 4 132 IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, + HE SAID.

IN 1983-84, HOUSING ADVICE CENTRES DEALT WITH MORE THAN 33 000 CASES OF ENQUIRIES, COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR INTAKE GUIDANCE FROM INCOMING TENANTS.

+MOST ENQUIRIES WERE ON HOUSING MATTERS, WHILE OTHERS CONCERNED EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION IN THE DISTRICT.

+HOUSING STAFF HAVE ALSO MADE MORE THAN 5 000 HOME VISITS TO FOSTER MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP AND HELP TENANTS SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE,+ HE SAID.

THE HOUSING ADVICE CENTRE SCHEME WAS STARTED AT THE TWIN ESTATES OF ON TING AND YAU OF IN TUEN MUN IN 1981 AND WAS LATER EXTENDED TO NEW ESTATES AS THEY OPENED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NEW TOWN.

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