ENG-1960 — Page 206

LAND AND HOUSING

165

In 1954, after a disastrous squatter fire at Shek Kip Mei in which 53,000 people lost their homes, there was a drastic change in policy. A Resettlement Department was set up, under the general control of the Urban Council, to co-ordinate the duties of squatter control and clearance which had previously been under- taken by several different departments; Government funds were provided to build multi-storey blocks into which squatters could be resettled. The construction of these blocks, designed and built by the Public Works Department, was as simple as possible, so that rents would not be beyond the means of squatters and so that they could be built easily and quickly. They are of a standard design, seven stories in height and of reinforced concrete con- struction. Each block is divided into rooms, which vary in size from 86 to 240 square feet, providing for families ranging from three to ten adults--a child under ten counting as half an adult. The most common size is of 120 square feet for a family of four or five adults. Each family to be resettled is allotted a room, the size depending on the size of the family and not on the rent that it can afford. There are communal latrines, washing spaces and bathing cubicles on each floor. Lighting is provided in the public areas; most settlers have electric lighting in their rooms, for which they pay the electricity companies direct. Rents range from $10 to $28 a month, the rent of the standard 120 square feet room being $14 a month. Since 1954 multi-storey resettlement accom- modation has been built for 270,000 people in nine estates, at a total capital cost of $138 million.

As the resettlement estates developed it became clear that it was not enough to provide only domestic accommodation, and that in these virtual townships, with populations of 30,000 or more, there was a need for the normal amenities required by communities of this size. To meet this need ground floor rooms have been reserved for non-domestic use. They are allocated to settlers for use as shops or workshops for light industry; to welfare organizations for use as schools, clinics, nurseries, and other similar welfare purposes; or they are used by Government depart- ments. The roof-tops of the blocks are given over to schools and boys' and girls' clubs. The table in Appendix VIII to this Chapter gives an idea of the scale on which these welfare facilities