ENG-1985 — Page 187

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Housing

HOUSING Continues to be a priority commitment for the government. In the 1985 Budget, about one-third of the total public capital expenditure was earmarked for the development of public housing. At present, about 2.4 million people, or 45 per cent of Hong Kong's population, are living in either rental or home ownership public housing.

For the sixth successive year, the Housing Authority exceeded its annual production target of 35 000 flats by producing 49 724 new units in 1985.

Apart from quantity, the Housing Authority places equal emphasis on the quality of public housing. The newer housing estates offer comfortable and well-designed homes in a pleasant landscaped environment. They are also provided with a wide range of facilities, such as schools, shopping complexes, welfare centres, community halls, children's play- grounds, sports grounds and a good transport infrastructure.

The authority is also continuing its programme of redeveloping old estates where the living environment and the provision of community facilities are not as satisfactory.

Housing needs and policies are kept under constant review. Following the success of the public consultation exercise on public housing allocation policies in 1984, the authority embarked on another major public consultation exercise in 1985. A Green Paper was published in August to seek the views of the public on suggestions to reduce public housing subsidies to long-term public housing tenants who had improved their financial situation. The views of all district boards and opinions given by organisations, individuals and the media were carefully considered. In addition, a public opinion survey on the subject was conducted by an independent private research company.

In July, the Housing Authority set up a special committee to undertake a full-scale review of its policy on domestic rents.

The Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) and Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS) provide lower-middle income families with the opportunity to purchase their own flats at prices below those of comparable units on the open market. The annual production target for the two schemes has been increased from 5 000 to 10 000 units, in response to increas- ing demand.

In 1985, a total of 19 634 units were produced under these two schemes. This was well in excess of the production target, and was mainly due to the early completion of some projects.

The Hong Kong Housing Society supplements, on a smaller scale, the Housing Authority's contribution to the provision of public housing and also carries out urban redevelopment schemes. The society completed its first rural public housing estate in Sai Kung during the year.

In the private sector, around 30 000 units were completed in 1985, well above the annual average of 25 000 units completed during the previous five years.