XN000022-1986-10-29 — Page 40

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986

1986

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SPECIAL COMMITTEE SHOULD CONSIDER HARDSHIP CASES

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FEARS THAT THE PROPOSED AMOUNT OF INCREMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING RENT MIGHT CAUSE HARDSHIP TO TENANTS WERE EXPRESSED BY THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON TWO PAPERS ON PUBLIC HOUSING POLICY. MR TAI SAID THAT SPECIAL ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE IMPACT OF THE RENTAL INCREMENT ON THE LOWER- INCOME GROUP TO ENSURE THAT ANY CHANGE WOULD NOT CAUSE UNDUE HARDSHIP.

TO ACHIEVE THE SOCIAL OBJECTIVES AS STATED IN THE REPORT PREPARED BY THE DOMESTIC RENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, HE SUGGESTED THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE BE FORMED TO CONSIDER CASES OF HARDSHIP, SUCH AS WHETHER A PARTICULAR TENANT WOULD BE DESERVING OF THE INCREMENT BEING WAIVED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSED AMOUNT OF INCREMENT FIXED AT A CEILING OF 15 PER CENT OF MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME SHOULD ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACILITIES, AMENITIES, LOCALITY AND AGE OF THE PARTICULAR ESTATE.

ON THE EXTRA REVENUE GENERATED, HE SAID THE MONEY SHOULD BE USED NOT ONLY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND FACILITIES OF ALL HOUSING ESTATES BUT ALSO FOR FUTURE EXPANSION PROGRAMMES.

TURNING TO THE PROPOSAL TO CHARGE DOUBLE THE EXISTING RENT OF THOSE TENANTS WITH 10 YEARS' OCCUPANCY AND WHOSE INCOME WAS TWICE THE INCOME LIMIT OF PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST, MR TAI ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT ITS EFFECT ON THE STANDARD OF LIVING.

IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE HARDSHIP OF THOSE TENANTS AFFECTED BY SUCH A PROPOSAL, HE SUGGESTED THAT IF THEIR AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME WAS PROVED TO HAVE FALLEN BELOW THE SO-CALLED SUBSIDY INCOME LIMIT FOR A CONTINUOUS PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS, THAT PARTICULAR HOUSEHOLD SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PAY THE EXISTING RENT.

AS TO THE SUGGESTION BY THE COMMITTEE THAT MORE CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO SPECIAL CASES WHERE A TENANT'S HOUSEHOLD INCOME EXCEEDED THE SO-CALLED SUBSIDY INCOME LIMIT, MR TAI SAID MORE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE MADE IN DEFINING PRECISELY THE SITUATION OR THE TYPE OF EXPENDITURE THAT WOULD FALL WITHIN EXCEPTIONAL OR UNAVOIDABLE EXPENSES.

MR TAI ALSO SAID THE MIDDLE INCOME GROUP STILL FOUND IT HARD TO MAKE ENDS MEET BECAUSE THEY WERE NEITHER ENTITLED TO PUBLIC HOUSING NOR QUALIFIED FOR PUBLIC HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS.

/HE SUGGESTED ....

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