TNAG-0270-FCO40-306-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 51

2600224

C.S. 84

XCR(70)303

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The Board's purpose in making these recommendations has been primarily to widen the range of families eligible for Government Low- cost Housing at Kwai Chung where a further 4, 655 flats will be ready for occupation by the autumn.

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The Board has pointed out that the rise in family incomes since the $500 a month limit was established in 1965 has probably meant that the families for which the accommodation was designed would now fall within the increased income limit recommended. It also sees the smaller family size as providing a means of encouraging newly married men from resettle- ment households to go to Government low-cost housing rather than to seek the inclusion of their wives in the original settled household and thus increase the risk of overcrowding.

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The Board has restricted its recommendations to Kwai Chung where there is no overlap with the aided-housing agencies. In more central areas, the Board felt that the demand was already in excess of the accom- modation available, whilst at Wong Chuk Hang, although less popular, the Board feared competition with the nearby Wah Fu Estate of the Housing Authority.

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The Housing Authority has commented in respect of a proposed new income limit that:

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(a)

(b)

mended that:

the qualifying income limit should be raised from $500 to $700 a month for all the Government Low- cost Housing estates in outlying districts, including Wong Chuk Hang (the Unofficial Members of the Urban Council have also made the same comment in the context of the Board's Report);

the income limit of $500 a month for Government Low-cost Housing estates in the urban areas should remain unchanged.

As regards family members, the Housing Authority has recom-

(a)

the relaxation of family number should apply to Kwai Chung estates only;

(b)

the four-person limit should be reduced to three, two of whom must be a married couple;

(c)

the relaxation should be temporary and liable to revocation in one year; and

(d)

a public announcement should be made to make the motive of the relaxation clear.

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