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Compassionate rehousing for needy persons
The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will examine whether individuals or families have genuine, immediate and long-term housing needs because of special circumstances and personal factors before recommending these cases to the Housing Department for consideration for compassionate rehousing.
A spokesman for the department added that compassionate rehousing was meant to solve an individual's long-term social problem and should not be taken as a mere sympathetic gesture to people living in adversity.
"Caseworkers of the SWD and some selected non- governmental organisations assess such applications during their daily work and recommend them for compassionate rehousing," he said.
"The SWD is responsible for recommending eligible applicants to the Housing Department for allocation of accommodation in public housing estates and the scheme is operated free of charge."
The spokesman said in 1994/95 the SWD had recommended 2,025 such cases to the Housing Department for its consideration.
"The applicants of the scheme are usually suffering from poor health, disabilities and special social conditions which, in the judgment of medical personnel or caseworkers, compassionate rehousing is essential to solve their housing problems," the spokesman added.
Elderly welfare recipients who are homeless or living in crowded bedspace apartment will also be considered for recommendation for rehousing.
The spokesman stressed that the applicants should have no ownership of residential property nor have the means to solve their housing needs. They should have financial means not exceeding the income limits for public housing applicants and fulfil other residence qualifications laid down by the Housing Department.
"However some flexibility in the criteria may be exercised for those genuinely deserving cases, especially the sick and the disabled," he said.
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