ENG-1987 — Page 204

HOUSING

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reprovisioning in alternative premises through restricted tender. A three-month rent-free period was then granted.

Temporary Housing

Temporary Housing Areas (THAs) are built to provide accommodation for homeless people who are not immediately eligible for permanent public housing. These are mainly people displaced by development clearances or made homeless by fires or natural disasters and who have been in Hong Kong for less than 10 years. At the end of the year, there were 58 THAs with a total capacity of 139 500 person spaces.

As there has been a shortage of temporary housing spaces, especially in the urban areas, the Housing Department has had to obtain additional sites for the development of new THAS. Accommodation in new THAs comprises full-built structures with electrical fittings, individual water supply and kitchens/shower rooms.

During the year, temporary housing spaces for 14 157 people were completed, against a loss of 9 020 spaces mainly through the development of existing sites. Meanwhile, 11 new THAs with 22 633 person spaces were under construction. During the same period, 21 279 people moved into such areas while 21 092 left for other accommodation, mainly in permanent public housing.

Residents in THAs may be rehoused in permanent public housing through the waiting list, trawling, purchase of HOS flats for which they are given priority, or through the clearance of THAs for development.

Transit Centres

Transit Centres provide short-term emergency accommodation for people rendered home- less, mainly by fires or natural disasters, until they are rehoused either in permanent or temporary accommodation depending on eligibility. There were eight transit centres through- out the territory with a total capacity for 1 608 people at the end of the year.

Cottage Areas

Cottage Areas are being phased out through clearances. The Fu Tau Wat Cottage Area in Shau Kei Wan was cleared during the year to make way for a public housing project. As at the end of the year, a total of 10 450 people were living in seven cottage areas.

Squatter Control

The Squatter Control Division of the Housing Department operates a system of daily patrols to deter new squatting and, as a result, full control over squatting has been maintained and racketeering in constructing squatter huts for sale has been suppressed. In 1987, 13 000 illegal structures or extensions were demolished. The squatter population has steadily declined from about 434 000 to 408 000 during 1987 as a result of on-going clearance programmes and squatters moving to permanent housing through the general waiting list.

Improvement to Squatter Areas

The government introduced a five-year Squatter Area Improvement Programme in 1983 to improve safety and to provide basic services for the benefit of 100 000 squatters in the most congested squatter settlements in the urban areas, including Tsuen Wan. A total of 51 projects have so far been completed, and six more are under construction. During 1987, efforts continued to improve conditions in squatter areas which have over 500 residents and