ENG-1986 — Page 183

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Housing

HOUSING Continues to be a priority commitment for the government, which devoted about one-third of its total annual capital expenditure in 1986 for the development of public housing.

There are at present 2.6 million people - or about 47 per cent of the population - living in rental and home ownership public housing.

The Housing Authority maintained a high level of production during the year, adding 37 100 new flats to the public housing stock. This is the seventh successive year in which the authority's annual production target of 35 000 flats has been exceeded.

The greater emphasis being placed on design has provided a better living environment for the tenants, with the newer estates offering homes in pleasant landscaped surroundings where schools, shopping centres, welfare and recreational facilities, and a good transport infrastructure are also provided.

Benefiting also are the thousands of other families who have been or will be moving into the modern homes, with a wide range of facilities, built under the authority's redevelop- ment programmes.

The Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) and the Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS) offer lower-middle income families the chance to buy their own flats at lower prices than those of comparable units in the open market. During the year, 9 600 units were completed for sale under the two schemes, bringing the total number of these flats to 79 400 units.

The Hong Kong Housing Society supplements, on a smaller scale, the Housing Authority's contribution to public housing, and also carries out urban redevelopment schemes. The society has started work on its second rural public housing scheme, and inaugurated a flats-for-sale scheme which is similar to the HOS.

In the private sector, 37 140 units were completed in 1986, an increase of 7 140 over production in 1985, making a welcome addition to the private housing stock.

Housing Authority

The Hong Kong Housing Authority, established under the Housing Ordinance, is a statutory body responsible for co-ordinating all aspects of public housing. It advises the Governor on all public housing policy matters and through its executive arm, the Housing Department, plans and builds public housing estates for various categories of people as determined by the authority with the approval of the Governor. It also manages public housing estates, Cottage Areas, Temporary Housing Areas and Transit Centres throughout the territory, clears land for development, prevents and controls squatting, and plans and co-ordinates improvements to squatter areas. On behalf of the government, it plans, builds and manages flats provided under the Home Ownership Scheme. It acts as the govern-