ENG-1987 — Page 201

164

HOUSING

purchasers are able to enjoy favourable mortgage terms provided by over 50 financial institutions. 'Green Form' priority status purchasers are able to borrow up to 95 per cent of the flat prices with repayments extending up to 20 years while private sector purchasers may borrow up to 90 per cent of the flat prices.

During the year, a total of 12 242 flats, including 1 932 PSPS flats, were offered for sale in three periods. The first sale (phase 9A) was held in February when 4 070 flats in three HOS projects, namely Ching Wah Court Stage II on Tsing Yi, Ka Tin Court in Sha Tin and Kam On Court at Ma On Shan, were sold with flat prices ranging from $177,900 for a 48-square-metre (gross area) flat in Kam On Court to $399,900 for a 77-square-metre flat in Ching Wah Court Stage II.

The second sale (Phase 9B) was held in June for 2 180 HOS flats in Ching Tai Court on Tsing Yi and 1 932 PSPS flats in Chevalier Garden Stage II at Ma On Shan. HOS flat prices ranged from $199,900 for a 48-square-metre flat to $407,800 for a 77-square-metre flat. Prices for the PSPS flats were in the range of $182,800 to $340,600 for flats ranging from 45 square metres to 63 square metres in area.

The third sale took place in November involving three HOS projects, namely Kam Hay Court at Ma On Shan, King Ming Court at Junk Bay and Yue On Court on Ap Lei Chau, comprising a total of 4 060 flats. The prices of the flats in King Ming Court, the first HOS project in the Junk Bay New Town, were in the range of $178,100 for a 48-square-metre flat to $381,000 for one of 77 square metres. The flat prices for Yue On Court ranged from $286,900 for a 53-square-metre flat to $398,400 for a 57-square-metre flat, while those for Kam Hay Court were from $196,300 to $404,100 for flats of 48 square metres and 77 square metres respectively.

Allocation

The Housing Authority possesses 570 000 rental flats in 123 housing estates. These flats are of different sizes, amenities and rent levels to meet the wide-ranging requirements of families in need of public housing.

During the year, 27 000 new flats and 7 000 vacated flats were let to the various categories of eligible applicants. The biggest share went to waiting list applicants (41 per cent), followed by tenants involved in the redevelopment of the old Mark I and II blocks and in the extended redevelopment programme (26 per cent), and families affected by develop- ment clearances (18 per cent). Junior public servants, victims of fire and natural disasters, occupants of huts and other structures in dangerous locations, and compassionate cases recommended by the Social Welfare Department took up the rest of the flats.

Information on the public housing waiting list and allocation of rental flats has been computerised with information regarding nearly three million applicants and tenants stored in the Housing Applications and Tenancies Management Information System. Computer- isation enables housing allocation and duplication checks to be carried out effectively and produces useful statistical information.

During the year, 14 000 flats, mainly in Tuen Mun, Sha Tin, Tai Po and Sheung Shui, were allocated to successful waiting list applicants. Waiting time varied from eight years for estates in Sha Tin to three years for those in Tuen Mun.

Applications for public rental housing were considered in the order of registration and in accordance with the choice of districts indicated by applicants. Accommodation was offered to those who, on investigation, were found eligible in respect of their family income and other reasons. The income limits range from $4,200 for a family of two to $8,000 for a family of 10 or more. The number of live applications at the end of the year stood at