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HOUSING

Policy Review

The government embarked on a review of its Long Term Housing Strategy in November 1995. The objective of the review is to consider what changes in current policies and programmes are necessary to achieve its housing goals over the planning period to March 2006. The review's conclusions and recommendations will be released for public consultation in January 1997.

Organisational Framework

Housing Branch

The Secretary for Housing has overall responsibility for public and private housing matters in Hong Kong. Set up in November 1994, the Housing Branch is responsible for setting government policy on the provision of housing in the public and private sectors. It oversees the public housing programmes, facilitates and monitors the operation of the private housing market, and ensures the provision of sufficient land and infrastructure to meet housing targets.

Housing Authority

The Housing Authority is an independent, statutory body responsible for carrying out Hong Kong's public housing programmes. Its prime objective is to provide affordable housing to the needy, which is in line with the government's Long Term Housing Strategy.

Established in 1973, the authority plans and builds public sector housing, either for rent or sale. It manages public housing estates, Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) courts, interim housing, cottage areas, transit centres, flatted factories, commercial facilities and other community and ancillary facilities throughout the territory. Increasingly, it has contracted out the management of some of these facilities to private agencies. It also administers the Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS) and the Home Purchase Loan Scheme, and acts as the government's agent to clear land and control squatting. The Housing Department is its executive arm.

The government provides land on concessionary terms and finances, where necessary, to enable the authority to meet the government's public housing targets. At the end of March, the government's capital investment and contribution stood at about $30.8 billion. This comprised non-interest-bearing permanent capital of $13.5 billion, loan capital of $11.8 billion, contributions to domestic housing of $4.8 billion and non-domestic equity of $642.1 million. The historical market value of land provided on concessionary terms was $168.2 billion.

Housing Society

The Housing Society is an independent, non-profit-making organisation, established in 1948. It provides housing for specific low-income groups in Hong Kong. At the end of 1995, it has 32 307 rental housing units and 8 791 flats for sale under the Urban Improvement Scheme and Flats for Sale Schemes. The Housing Society also administers a sandwich class housing scheme on behalf of the government. Its annual production for the past five years averaged about 1 663 units.

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