ENG-1996 — Page 257

HOUSING

activities. In September 1996, the Housing Authority approved financing the installation of an emergency alarm system for low-income elderly tenants living alone and who are not receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance. By the end of the year, 57 applications had been approved.

Commercial Properties

Retail facilities and car parks are provided as an integral part of public housing estates. Apart from providing convenience to tenants, they generate income which helps sustain the authority's building programme. Five new shopping centres were completed during the year. Total commercial stock at year's end stood at 1.3 million square metres, and 75 000 car parking spaces. Despite continued difficulties in the retail sector, vacancies remained low at around 2.3 per cent during the year. Total income grew by some 10 per cent to $3.9 billion.

The authority's portfolio includes 17 flatted factory estates and 2 500 shops in former resettlement estates. These shops and half of the factory units are let at low rents; other premises are let at market rents, primarily for three-year terms. Lettings are primarily by tender supplemented by negotiation, which provides flexibility and assists in attracting anchor tenants and large space users.

The authority continues to expand the role of the private sector in commercial properties management. The majority of car parking spaces and factory estates are now under agency management. A trial scheme for the privatised management of two shopping centres has produced good results and will be expanded over the next few years.

Maintenance Services

The introduction of additional estate facilities and rise in tenants' expectation have added to the Housing Authority's maintenance commitment. Total maintenance expenditure for the year amounted to $3 billion. The authority is expected to spend $22.7 billion within five years on maintenance and improvement works.

Since the introduction of the CARE (Condition, Appraisal, Repair and Examination) Programme in mid-1993, 111 estates have started their first CARE cycle. It is expected that all the estates except those due for redevelopment will have commenced the CARE cycle by 1997. The Enhanced CARE Programme, a more customer-oriented, planned-maintenance programme, was also implemented in March 1996. This programme focuses on tenants' communication and participation in maintenance, including tenants' survey, fitting out of sample rooms to demonstration quality, and provision of a 'hot-line' to handle more effectively complaints and enquiries.

The first cycle of Special Repair Programme comprising condition survey and repair to about 205 domestic blocks (about 104 605 flats) in older estates was in steady progress. A total of 27 289 flats (52 per cent) have been repaired through overtime work in evenings and in public holidays to meet tenants' requirements. It is expected that the repair works will be completed by early 1997.

The refurbishment period for the authority's vacant flats was shortened. During the year, 14 944 flats were refurbished for reletting and over 73 per cent of them were finished within three months. At the same time, improvement to existing shopping

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