1961-1962 — Page 12

employment and where a minimum of expense is incurred in commuting to work and school.

6. In addition to the domestic accommodation provided mainly in single room self-contained flats with separate kitchen, toilet and balcony, shopping centres are included in all estates, together with amenities such as recreation rooms, clinics, playgrounds and kerosene stores with provision for vehicle parking and refuse collection. Govern- ment schools are provided in the larger estates and kindergartens are let out and run by private individuals.

7. The Housing Authority estates are designed as integrated neigh- bourhood units forming part of the larger community of the district and provide the day to day environment for a normal family life with as much amenity and convenience as is possible in what must of necessity be high density development.

8. When so much public money is being allocated to housing, it is vitally necessary to see that the best value for the capital invested is obtained. This can only be achieved by good administration, adequate long term planning, efficient architectural and technical staff, and good housing and estate management.

9. Since October, 1959 Government has been taking steps to provide housing at very low rentals for people in the lower income groups. Housing of this type is now being constructed by the Public Works Department and work is in hand on estates at Kwun Tong, Shek Kip Mei, Cheung Sha Wan, and Valley Road. The first estate due for com- pletion is the one at Kwun Tong and the first blocks of this will be ready in June, 1962.

10. In September, 1961 the Authority was asked to undertake the task of letting and managing these low cost housing estates. The Authority accepted this task and on 28th February, 1962 the Housing (Amendment) Ordinance, No. 7 of 1962, was enacted by the Legislative Council. This conferred upon the Authority the necessary powers to manage housing estates in addition to the existing power to construct them.

11. Government's decision to pass the management of its low cost housing programme to the Authority as each estate is completed is a most important one. This housing programme, which is to be built by the Public Works Department and is designed to accommodate families living in overcrowded conditions and earning less than $400 a month, will produce accommodation for about 20,000 people per annum.

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