ENG-1991 — Page 221

HOUSING

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The authority also builds many other premises in its self-contained housing estates for commercial use, such as shops, restaurants, banks, and carparks, and for other services operated by government offices and welfare organisations.

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

Housing Authority

The Housing Authority, which evolved from a number of bodies, was established on April 1, 1973, under the Housing Ordinance.

It was re-organised on April 1, 1988 and given a separate financial identity and autonomy, together with sufficient flexibility to deal with the priorities under the govern- ment's Long Term Housing Strategy.

It advises the Governor on all housing policy matters and through its executive arm, the Housing Department, plans and builds public housing estates, either for rent or ownership, and temporary housing areas.

The authority also manages public housing estates, ownership courts, temporary housing areas, transit centres, flatted factories and the ancillary commercial facilities throughout the territory, and administers the Private Sector Participation Scheme and the Home Purchase Loan Scheme. It acts as the government's agent to clear land, prevent and control squatting, and maintain improvements to squatter areas.

The authority is made up of members appointed by the Governor for a two-year term. It is chaired by a non-official and supported by 20 other non-official members and four official members whose responsibilities have a bearing on housing matters. There are also 30 committee members who sit on one or more of the various committees which deal with particular housing issues. Many of the members of the authority and the committees also serve the Hong Kong community as legislative, urban or regional councillors, or as members of the New Territories Heung Yee Kuk, district boards, area committees and mutual aid committees.

Together they have a broad range of experience and representation in community service and professional knowledge in certain areas of activity, and are able to apply a broad and critical perspective in determining public housing policies.

In April 1991, the authority held its first annual open meeting to provide an opportunity for the public and the news media to see the full Housing Authority at work. From September, all regular full meetings were open to them.

Apart from the eight standing committees, the special committee on clearance of Kowloon Walled City, established in January 1987, also continued its work.

Four other ad hoc committees have completed or are about to complete their tasks of examining the housing needs of the 'sandwich class', to review the contribution of the private housing sector, to review domestic rent policy and allocation of standards and to examine the possibility of selling suitable public rental flats to sitting tenants.

The authority is responsible for its own finance and management and will continue to provide homes at affordable rents and prices to the people. Under an arrangement which came into effect in April 1988, the government continues to ensure the availability of funds required for the housing programmes as set out in the Long Term Housing Strategy.

On March 31, 1991, the government's capital investment and contribution to housing stood at about $99.7 billion, which comprised permanent capital of $24.3 billion, contribution to domestic housing of $66.1 billion and non-domestic equity of $9.3 billion.