TNAG-0523-FCO40-618-Visits-of-members-of-Urban-Council-from-Hong-Kong--to-UK-1975 — Page 73

Appendix F

HOUSING IN HONG KONG

In 1953 the Hong Kong Government built the first low-rent resettlement blocks to house thousands of homeless squatters. Since then it has become the non- profit-making landlord to nearly 43 per cent of a popula- tion of almost 4.2 million.

But in spite of this great achievement the problem of housing remains. To tackle it the government embarked upon an ambitious 10-year housing programme in 1973. The target is enough permanent homes, self-contained with good amenities and in a reasonable environment, for everyone in Hong Kong.

This will mean the virtual elimination of overcrowding and sharing. It will also allow for the rehousing of those uprooted by development schemes and for the homeless and the unfortunate. The programme involves building homes for 1.5 million people over the next 10 years. At present day prices it will cost more than HK$5,400 million (US$1,080 million) to form the sites and build these new public housing estates.

Housing Authority

The programme demands a high degree of efficiency and co-ordination. To achieve this, a new Housing Authority was formed in April 1973 with the responsibility for planning, building and managing all public housing estates in Hong Kong.

The authority has taken over the functions previously divided between the former Housing Authority, the Urban Council, the Housing Board, the housing division of the Urban Services Department, the Resettlement Department and the Public Works Department. Member- ship is made up of eight Urban Councillors, five other unofficials and six official members, all appointed by the Governor.

It is serviced by a new Housing Department, also formed in April 1973, which is the result of an amalgamation of the Resettlement Department and the housing division of the Urban Services Department. The 1954 Housing Ordinance and the 1958 Resettlement Ordinance, which set out the jurisdiction of the previous authorities, were repealed and replaced by the Housing Ordinance of 1973. Housing estates that were previously described as resettlement, government low-cost housing or Housing Authority estates, are now all Housing Authority estates, or public housing estates. For management purposes these estates are divided into two groups. Group 'A' estates comprise what were formerly known as Housing Authority estates and low-cost housing estates. Group 'B' estates are the former resettlement blocks. During 1973 a total of 32,499 people were rehoused; 16,948 into group 'A' estates and 15,551 into group 'B' estates. Allocation of Public Housing

Persons who are allocated public housing units fall into the following main groups.

Firstly, applicants on the 'waiting list', whose income is below a specified limit and who are now inadequately housed. The income limit was revised in 1973 to a total

family income ranging from HK$1,400 to HK$2,000, the former for four-person families, the latter for families of 10 or more persons. Waiting list applicants are normally admitted to Group 'A' estates described below. By the end of 1973, more than 38,000 applications had been approved for allocation, more than 114,000 rejected or withdrawn and over 99,000 were awaiting investigation.

Secondly, persons cleared from land required for development or from dangerous buildings. These are admitted to Group 'A' or Group 'B'.

Thirdly are victims of fire or other natural disasters, hardship cases recommended by the Social Welfare Department or Medical Department, and overcrowded families already living in public housing estates. These are admitted to Group 'A' or 'B'.

Group 'A' Estates

At the end of 1973, the population of the 26 group 'A' public housing estates was 564,545. Domestic flats of this type are mostly self-contained with a private balcony, kitchen and toilet with a water closet and shower, although in some older estates tenants of two units have to share a toilet. Estates have shops, market stalls, schools, medical clinics, recreational areas and play- grounds and many have community rooms. Rents in group 'A' estates range from HK$5 a month for a six person flat to HK$249 a month for a 13 person flat.

Group 'A' staff also manage two local government officers' housing schemes, Lung Cheung Court and Ngok Yue Shan, both planned by the former housing division and financed by the government for sale to civil servants; and five blocks of police quarters built by the Public Works Department.

Group 'B' Estates

Rents in these estates have been kept very low, and have not changed for many years. The aim has been to recover the capital cost over 40 years plus annually recurrent expenditure, including the cost of administra- tion and management. Rent for a standard 120 square feet room in a mark I or mark II block (the oldest) is HK$19 a month; that for a mark VI standard room of 140 square feet is HK$38 a month. Between 1954 and 1973 the government built more than 520 group 'B' type blocks in 25 estates housing 1.2 million people, all now vested in the new Housing Authority.

Another 47,000 people are housed in 14 cottage areas, many built by voluntary agencies and later handed over to the government for management. Many 'B' estates are virtual townships with shops, clinics and nurseries. The largest, at Tsz Wan Shan, northeast of Kowloon, houses more than 145,000 people.

A major objective of the new Housing Authority is to improve living conditions in the older estates and bring the standards of management into line with those in group 'A' estates. A caretaker system, which has proved essential for good management, is being expanded and will eventually cover all former mark III to VI blocks.

12