ENG-1990 — Page 242

HOUSING

while 25 000 people moved out mainly to permanent public housing through the general Waiting List, or clearances of THAS.

Residents of THAs have priority in the purchase of HOS flats or may be granted an interest free loan of $130,000 to buy a flat in the private sector under the Home Purchase Loan Scheme.

Transit Centres

Transit Centres provide short-term emergency accommodation for people rendered homeless mainly by fires or natural disasters, until they are rehoused either in permanent or temporary accommodation depending on eligibility. There were eight transit centres throughout the territory with a total capacity for 1 500 people.

Cottage Areas

There were six remaining cottage areas throughout the territory providing accommoda- tion for a total of 10 000 people. The largest, Tiu Keng Leng at Tseung Kwan O, houses 5 500 people.

Squatter Control

In the basis of a 1982 survey of illegal structures on government land and private agri- cultural land, good control was maintained over the year by means of daily patrols and hut-to-hut checks.

New illegal structures demolished were mainly canopies and storages, and over half of them were discovered and demolished before they were even completed.

Clearance and rehousing through various means kept the squatter population at 300 000 at the end of the year, with 65 000 persons in the urban area and 235 000 persons in the New Territories.

Squatter Area Improvements

The squatter area improvement programme, aimed at providing basic services and safety facilities in major and needy squatter areas not yet scheduled for clearance, was in its final year of operation. Services and facilities provided include drainage, footpaths, toilets, refuse bin sites, public lights, metered water supply, fire mains and hydrants, and minor slope stabilisation work.

During the year, 17 projects in 16 squatter areas were completed. Overall, about 139 000 persons in 99 squatter areas have benefited from 118 projects under the whole squatter area improvement programme over a period of seven years. Total costs incurred in these projects amounted to $182 million.

The Housing Authority will continue to maintain and repair the services and facilities provided under the programme. It will also be responsible for payment of electricity charges for the public lights.

Clearance

During the year, 330 hectares of land were cleared for development. Around 16 000 people affected were given permanent rehousing and 6 000 given temporary rehousing. Some 600 industrial, commercial and agricultural undertakings affected by clearances were awarded ex-gratia allowances.

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