ENG-1989 — Page 222

HOUSING

representatives. Such visits are also made by members of the authority and the Management and Operations Committees, accompanied by senior officers of the depart- ment, to meet members of mutual aid committees and residents' associations for in- formal exchanges of views on the management of the estates and HOS courts. At estate level, the housing manager also holds meetings with mutual aid committee and resident association officer-bearers.

Under the existing housing subsidy policy, tenants who have lived in public housing estates for 10 years or more and whose household incomes exceed the subsidy income limit which is twice the Waiting List income limit are required to pay double net rent. In the first year of implementation of the policy, 21 per cent of the 41 000 affected households with 23 or more years of residence in public housing estates had to pay double net rent. In the second year of implementation, 26 per cent of the 62 000 affected households with 19 to 22 years' residence in public housing estates were required to pay double net rent.

The current year involves 62 000 households with 14 to 18 years of residence in public housing estates. In addition, 25 000 households who were exempted from payment of double net rent two years ago because their household incomes were below the sub- sidy income limit, are also due for review of their incomes. If their household incomes are found to exceed the subsidy income limit, they will be required to pay double net rent in April 1990.

The first sheltered housing run by the department was opened in November 1987 at Heng On Estate, Ma On Shan, to house 145 able-bodied persons aged 60 years and over. The next three projects at Tai Wo Estate, Tai Po; Kwong Yuen Estate, Sha Tin, and Cheung Fat Estate, Tsing Yi, were due for completion during the year. Similar facilities will be incorporated in 17 more estates over the next five years.

With six HOS courts already under the care of private property management agents, a further scheme is being tried in five new courts where the agents will be expected to as- sume the management role as soon as the buildings are taken over. Under the agency management scheme, the authority remains ultimately responsible for the management standards.

Under the Housing (Traffic) By-laws, the authority is empowered to impose charges for impounding and removing vehicles illegally parked in housing estates. The roads in 122 rental estates, nine factories, 38 HOS courts and 25 THAs are now under the authority's control.

A three-year contract, effective from November 1987, was awarded to a private management company to manage carparks in 28 selected estates as a pilot scheme. The authority conducts half-yearly reviews of the scheme.

Staff of the Housing Management Branch have been required to work irregular hours to keep hawking activities within housing estates under control. The efforts of the Major Operations Unit resulted in 130 arrests and seizures and clearance of 480 illegal hawkers in the estates during the year. Staff at estate level carried out 9 200 cases of seizures and 1 470 prosecutions to deter illegal hawking.

Letting of Commercial Properties

The Housing Authority manages 1.22 million square metres of commercial space, including shops, market stalls, banks, restaurants and flatted factory units, as well as a new stock of 60 000 square metres completed in 1989.

All these spaces are held under some 27 500 separate tenancies. Rental income, including carpark charges collected during 1988–9, amounted to $1,401 million.

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