TNAG-1042-FCO40-1292-Possible-Royal-Commission-on-Hong-Kong-and-its-future-House--1981 — Page 65

Some notes on the public housing programme:

1. The Hong Kong Housing Authority is thought to be the world's largest landlord. More than 40 per cent of the population now lives in public housing and the percen- tage will rise to nearly 60 per cent by the end of the

decade.

2. The construction of six new towns in the New Territories comparable in population size to Manchester, Bristol and Leeds will provide homes for about two million people, the majority in public housing.

3. The supply of public housing units has reached a record

level of well over 30,000 per year.

4. 57 per cent of Housing Authority flats have a rent of below $100 per month and 84 per cent below $200 per month; 53 per cent of the total stock have a rent level below 40 cents per square foot - about one fifth of the current market

value.

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5. According to the Labour Force Survey in September 1979 some 55 per cent of public housing tenants are spending less than 6 per cent of their monthly incomes on rents; only

3 per cent are spending more than 20 per cent and all in this category are receiving public assistance and have their rents paid by welfare assistance.