XN000022-1984-07-26 — Page 6

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1984

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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD A VERY LENGTHY DISCUSSION ON THE ESTION OF BETTER-OFF TENANTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE. AF ART FROM THE MEASURES MENTIONED ABOVE THE CONSENSUS 0:

SERS WAS AGAINST TAKING DRASTIC ACTION AGAINST BETTE-OFF LANTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES. MANY REASONS WERE ADVANCED IN SUPPORT OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE EVICTION OF WELL-OFF TENANTS. THEY INCLUDED:

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IT WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE AND COULD AFFECT THE STABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

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TEN ANTS WHO IMPROVE THEIR SITUATION WHILE IN PUBLIC HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE PENALISED.

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THE DIFFICULTIES IN COMING TO AN AGREED DEFINITION OF WELL-OFF TENANTS WERE CONSIDERABLE.

IT WOULD CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IF THE PRESENT MIX OF POPULATION WAS CHANGED,

HOWEVER, MEMBERS WERE OF THE VIEW THAT IN FUTURE, BETTER-OFF TEN ANTS SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO ENJOY HEAVILY SUBSIDI SED RENTS AS AT PRESENT. IT WAS, THEREFORE, DECIDED THAT A SUB-COMMITTEE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO LOOK INTO THIS WHOLE QUESTION AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN DUE COURSE. IN THE MEANTIME, PRESENT POLICIES WILL NOT BE CHANGED.

THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE PUT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY, AND IF AGREED, WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. MEANWHILE, THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW POLICIES WILL FURTHER BE DISCUSSED BEFORE THEN BY THE RELEVANT COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

THESE DECISIONS BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOLLOWED TWO LONG SPECIAL MEETINGS HELD ON JULY 19 AND 26 TO DISCUSS HOUSING ALLOCATION POLICY IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPINION ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT WHICH WAS PUBLISHED ON APRIL 26, 1984.

COMMENTING ON THIS REVIEW, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID, +WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT WHICH HAS ENABLED MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF PUBLIC OPINION ON HOUSING ALLOCATION POLICIES AND TO REACH DEC: SIONS WHICH TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS ENCOURAGED TO KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE CONFIRMED THAT EXISTING POLICIES WERE SEEN TO BE ON THE RIGHT LINES AND WERE SUPPORTED, MANY IDEAS CAME FORWARD AND I AM SURE WE WILL WISH TO ADOPT THIS METHOD OF SOUNDING PUBLIC OPINION ON OTHER SUITABLE TOPICS OF HOUSING POLICY IN THE FUTURE.+

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