ENG-1974 — Page 142

LAND AND HOUSING

Housing Authority Factory Estates

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These are provided to enable smallscale operators of squatter factories, work- shops and other industrial undertakings to continue making a living when their struc- tures are demolished in clearance operations. There are altogether 26 flatted factory blocks of five or seven storeys providing a total of about 9,500 standard-sized units of 256 square feet each. At the end of the year two more factory blocks containing 800 units were completed at Kowloon Bay. More than 100 different types of manufacture are undertaken in these factory blocks, which make a useful contribution to the economy of Hong Kong.

Licensed Areas

Most unleased Crown land on which it is possible to build is occupied, mainly by domestic squatters, small factories, workshops, shops and others. Consequently when such an area is needed for development, a clearance operation has to be carried

out.

Domestic squatters who meet certain criteria are given accommodation in public housing estates while operators of squatter shops, workshops and industrial undertakings are paid ex-gratia compensation on clearance. If they are small or medium-sized operators they may opt for reprovisioning in a flatted factory, provided units are available and their trade is suitable for factory operation.

However, in any clearance operation there are some who do not meet the criteria laid down for rehousing or cash compensation. If they are domestic squatters and are found to be genuinely homeless, they are offered a site in a licensed area to build a temporary structure. This offer is also open to victims of natural disasters who are ineligible for direct rehousing. Licensed areas are provided with such basic facilities as a simple water supply, surface drains, bathhouses and latrines. Towards the end of the year the government accepted a recommendation by the Housing Authority that these basic facilities should be improved to include an electricity supply and in- dividual water taps. A further improvement in many of the new licensed areas will be the provision of part-built structures, so that tenants need provide only wall panels and partition. Efforts are also made to introduce community services such as family planning, counselling and youth activities.

There are at present 26 licensed areas with a population of about 40,000. Construction of two new licensed areas with part-built structures for an additional 14,000 people was proceeding towards the end of the year.

Squatter Control

There were many more new squatters than in the previous year, due to a variety of interrelated factors such as the clearance of rooftop squatters from tenements under redevelopment, a great increase in the flow of immigrants from China, dif- ficulties facing young couples with children trying to find accommodation, and a recession in industry. The position has been made worse by the activities of racketeers who offer to sell flimsy huts to hard-pressed families with the promise of eventual public housing.