ENG-1991 — Page 225

HOUSING

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With regard to living space, the authority is seeking public views on a proposal which will allow tenants to choose either the existing minimum allocation of 5.5 square metres per person at the 15 per cent median income ratio or a new minimum allocation of 7 square metres at 18.5 per cent of income ratio.

Maintenance

During the year, the authority spent about $940 million on maintenance and improvement works for 143 rental estates and 62 Home Ownership Scheme courts with a total of 1 524 domestic blocks, and other properties such as temporary housing areas and communal facilities.

Organisational changes were carried out with greater emphasis being placed on regionally-based maintenance operations and closer links with tenants. The results of the changes were encouraging, particularly in respect of budgetary control, resources alloca- tion and time for response to tenants.

To facilitate planning on the long-term maintenance and improvement programmes for the entire housing stock, a comprehensive condition survey system was developed to examine the conditions and maintenance needs of each building, where elements would be inspected at predetermined intervals. In addition, a pilot study was commissioned for a new maintenance concept of Reliability Centered Maintenance. In this study various maintenance activities will be examined in relation to the functions of the elements or equipment, with a view to reducing overall maintenance costs and the possibility of failure.

In continued efforts to improve living standards, large-scale improvement programmes in older estates progressed steadily. During the year, a total of $95 million in reinforcement and rewiring works was carried out, modernisation and replacement works to 53 lifts were completed and similar works on another 52 lifts were in progress.

To cope with the demand for single-person flats arising from clearance and redevelopment, the authority began a single-person flats conversion programme under which domestic flats are divided into two or three single-person units with shared or self- contained facilities. Some 2 500 single-person flats were produced during the year.

To meet current expectations of shoppers and retailers, a substantial improvement and upgrading scheme was implemented in a number of estate shopping and commercial centres. This will sustain their competitiveness with adjacent private developments.

The improvement strategy included re-planning of circulation routes, upgrading of finishes, improvement of facilities, additional signage and better lighting. Priority for major improvement was given to shopping centres that were 10 to 15 years old, and those facing commercial competition nearby.

Home Ownership Scheme

The Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) was established in the late 1970s to provide flats for sale at prices below market value to lower-middle-income families and public housing

tenants.

Private sector applicants for these flats may not own domestic property and are subject to a household income limit of $14,000 per month. These restrictions, however, do not apply to public housing tenants, residents of temporary housing areas and cottage areas managed by the authority, households displaced by clearance of squatter areas for development, natural disaster victims and junior civil servants.

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