Mr. Lobo has expressed his support for the
new financial arrangements between the Housing Authority and Government. These arrangements are primarily designed to straighten out the previously complicated accounting arrange- ments, while indicating clearly the value of overnment's contribution to the public housing programme, and simplifying the Authority's cash flow problems. These proposals take into account the Authority's obligations and problems and are designed to put the Authority's financial structure on a more rational basis in future. In this process, the Authority: will be able to determine rents on more logical grounds and not largely on the basis of the costs of individual estates. The Authority has recently set up a Rent Policy Steering Group to undertake an overall view of rents in all its estates, and to formulate general principles for rent fixing in the
future.
"Ir. Cheong-Leen has suggested speeding up
the redevelopment process in the Authority's old estates. While this is undoubtedly desirable, our primary aim for the next few years must be to increase the total stock of public housing, and the emphasis will remain on new construction. Moreover, redevelopment and the associated rehousing operations disturb the existing social and economic life of tenants and must therefore be carefully planned and timed to minimise such disruption. There are already four redevelopment schemes in progress and the main concern is not so much speed but rather the needs and convenience of tenants affected by redevelopment.
However, it must not be thought that the occupants of these older estates have no opportunity to improve their housing conditions. The Housing Authority is setting aside a quota of new flats for relief of overcrowding and encouraging tenants in old estates to apply for transfer to better flats in the improved environment of new estates.
/In its primary
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.