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HOUSING

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HONG KONG's public housing programme took on a new dimension with plans by the Housing Authority to extend the government's Long Term Housing Strategy by 10 years into 2011, to ensure that the continuing demand for homes will be met following the completion of the current programme.

Construction within the current programme continued at a high rate, with over 53 000 flats being completed in 1990; and with greater emphasis being placed on quality, design and comfort. Nearly three million people, more than half the population, now live in public housing, about 83 per cent in rented flats and the rest in their own homes.

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Rents charged remain comparatively low, at $28.1 per square metre for the newest urban estates or about one-quarter to one-third of market rates. There is increasing interest in the schemes offered by the authority to purchase flats.

The government provides capital assistance and land for the authority to implement the Long Term Housing Strategy programme.

About 133 000 flats were in various stages of construction during the year, and some $7.4 billion was spent on development and maintenance on public housing projects.

In the next five years, $35 billion will be spent on new construction work.

During the year the authority embarked on a number of major policy initiatives in- cluding an examination of the housing needs of the 'sandwich class' and the possibility of selling some suitable rental public housing flats to sitting tenants.

It also formed an ad-hoc committee to review rent policy and allocation standards for public rental housing.

The private non-profit-making Hong Kong Housing Society continued to supplement the provision of public housing through its rental and rural public housing projects, urban renewal scheme and flats-for-sale scheme.

Private sector housing production reached 27 400 units.

Details of housing and persons accommodated are given at Appendix 33.

Housing Authority

Established under the Housing Ordinance, the Hong Kong Housing Authority is a statu- tory body responsible for co-ordinating all aspects of public housing.

The authority advises the Governor on all housing policy matters and, through its executive arm (the Housing Department), plans and builds public housing estates, Home Ownership Scheme courts and temporary housing areas for various categories of people.