XN000022-1991-02-27 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1991

SOCIAL WORKERS FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ VISIT ALL KNOWN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS AT SIX-MONTHLY INTERVALS. VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ARE ALSO DOING VALIANT WORK, ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN HELPING THE RESIDENTS OF SUCH APARTMENTS. WELFARE SERVICES

ARR OFFERED TO ALL RESIDENTS IN NEED, PARTICULARLY THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 947 LODGERS IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND 392 RECEIVING SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES. LAST YEAR, 155 RESIDENTS WERE ALSO GIVEN GRANTS FROM CHARITABLE FUNDS то HELP THEM WITH SPECIFIC FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. ANOTHER 325 WERE REFERRED FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE. ALL THIS THOUGH MEANINGFUL, IS OF COURSE NOT ENOUGH.

ACTION,

1990,

WITH

119

WERE

THAN

MANY

REHOUSING OF ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS AND OTHERS SPECIAL NEEDS SHOULD REMAIN A HIGH PRIORITY, DURING RESIDENTS WERE REFERRED TO ELDERLY HOMES AND ANOTHER 82 RECOMMENDED FOR COMPASSIONATE REHOUSING. THESE FIGURES ARE LOWER WE WOULD WISH, AND POINT TO A PARTICULAR PROBLEM WHEREIN RESIDENTS OF BEDSPACE APARTMENTS ARE EXTREMELY, THOUGH UNDERSTANDABLY, RELUCTANT TO MOVE FROM THE LOCALITY IN WHICH SOME OF THEM HAVE FOR OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY EVEN THOUGH BETTER ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE. MANY WILL NEVER CONSIDER A MOVE UNTIL FACED WITH THE PROSPECT OF LOSING THEIR PRESENT HOME ALTOGETHER. THIS PROSPECT, HOWEVER, BECOMES INCREASINGLY LIKELY AS THE OLDER URBAN AREAS ARE BEING REDEVELOPED.

LIVED

ENSURING SAFE CONDITIONS IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WILL INEVITABLY

THAT REQUIRE

IS MORE RESIDENTS BE DISPLACED. HOWEVER, IT

OUR FIRM COMMITMENT THAT NO PERSON SHOULD BE MADE HOMELESS AS A RESULT OF THIS. RESIDENTS WHOSE MEDICAL AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE RISE TO PARTICULAR HOUSING NEEDS MAY BE REHOUSED THROUGH THE EXISTING COMPASSIONATE REHOUSING ARRANGEMENTS. IN ADDITION, BUILDING UPON THE EXPERIENCE GAINED THROUGH THE URBAN HOSTEL PILOT SCHEME FOR STREET SLEEPERS, WE WILL ALSO ESTABLISH FURTHER URBAN HOSTELS TO PROVIDE A TEMPORARY HOME FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INCLUDING THOSE WHO MAY WISH BUT ARE UNABLE IMMEDIATELY TO FIND THEIR OWN ACCOMMODATION OR WHOSE APPLICATION FOR COMPASSIONATE REHOUSING WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS STILL BEING PROCESSED. A NUMBER OF SITES FOR SUCH HOSTELS ARE NOW BEING IDENTIFIED WITH THE HELP OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION.

SIR,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE VALUABLE EXPRESSIONS OF HELP AND IMPRACTICAL COLLABORATION WITH INDIVIDUALS, RELEVANT ORGANISATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PERFORM OUR PART IN FULL WITH DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION.

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