XN000022-1986-10-29 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986

IT WAS OBVIOUS ALL COULD NOT BE ACCOMMODATED AT THE SAME TIME. BUT SUITABLE CRITERIA FOR DEFINING ELIGIBILITY HAD TO BE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE A RATIONAL BASIS FOR ALLOCATING HOUSING.

MR CHEN SAID HE OPPOSED THE LOGIC IN THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO TENANTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN EXCLUDING NON-INCOME-GENERATING ASSETS FROM THE CALCULATION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

HE SAID THAT THE INCOME AND THE WEALTH OF A HOUSEHOLD SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TOGETHER IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH TRUE ELIGIBILITY.

ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION IN THE REPORT, THAT PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WHO HAD IMPROVED THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION SHOULD NOT BE EVICTED, ALSO CAME IN FOR CRITICISM.

+WHILE IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO SINGLE OUT FLAT OWNERSHIP AS A CRITERION FOR EVICTION, I DO NOT CONSIDER IT WRONG OR UNREASONABLE TO EXERCISE EVICTION USING TOTAL WEALTH POSSESSION AS A CRITERION, MR CHEN SAID.

ACCEPTING THAT EVICTING A LARGE NUMBER OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WOULD HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSION ON THE COMMUNITY, MR CHEN EMPHASISED THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE REMAINED THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE IN NEED OF SUBSIDISED HOUSING.

HE AGREED THAT PROBLEMS EXISTED CONCERNING EVICTION, BUT THESE WERE NOT UNSURMOUNTABLE.

+WHAT WE NEED IS TO MAKE SOME REAL AND GENUINE EFFORT IN RESOLVING THIS ANOMALY. IN THE PROCESS NO DOUBT A FEW WILL BE UPSET BUT MANY WHO ARE IN REAL AND GENUINE NEED WOULD BENEFIT.+

WORSE-OFF TENANTS SHOULD PAY LESS RENT

*****

THE PROPOSED 15 PER CENT MEDIAN RENT-INCOME GUIDELINE FOR NEW PUBLIC HOUSING MIGHT CAUSE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WORSE-OFF TENANTS, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT A 10 PER CENT LIMIT SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON THOSE HOUSEHOLDS BELOW THE MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL, AND A 15 PER CENT LIMIT BE APPLIED TO THOSE ABOVE IT.

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON TWO HOUSING REPORTS, DR HO SAID ONE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MEDIAN INCOME WAS THAT IT WAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE OF DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME STATISTICS, MEANING THAT ONE HALF OF THE INCOMES WERE ABOVE AND THE OTHER HALF BELOW THAT VALUE.

/+IN CHARGING