TNAG-0913-FCO40-1123-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 61

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10. Significant Trends

i) Demographic:

ii) Structural:

average household size is reducing and is forecast to continue reducing from 4.09 p.h. in 1979 to 3.78 p.h. in 1984.

average size of private sector flats is decreasing:

1975

1979

Small flats

648 sq ft

455.3 sq ft

Medium flats

1,297 sq ft

1,326.1 sq ft

Large flats

2,243.2 sq ft

2,111.9 sq ft

iii) Owner-occupation:

is increasing;

11) Housing Authority

36.7% of private housing owner-

occupied in 1974 rose to 48.5% by 1979.

The

percentage of new flats sold to owner-occupants has risen from 60% in 1974 to 73% in 1979.

The Housing Authority is incorporated by statute; consists of the Secretary for Housing (Chairman), up to six public officers and up to thirteen unofficial members appointed by the Governor, of whom eight must be Urban Councillors.

It manages through the Housing Department 389,348 flats, 9,839 flatted factory units, 6,557 units in cottage areas, 8,911 Government quarters; and its estates contain 16,400 shops/shopstalls, 7,200 hawker stalls, 280 schools, 180 clinics, 40 nurseries, 90 youth and children centres and some 760 other social and welfare organizations.

It is responsible for the construction programme of rental flats, and (as Government's agent) the construction programme of the H.O.S. and Flatted Factories for the rehousing of squatter industries cleared for development.