ENG-2010 — Page 268

218 | Housing

allocated to applicants on the public rental housing waiting list, less than 1 per cent to families affected by estate clearances, about 3 per cent to junior civil servants, 25 per cent to sitting tenants for transfers (including overcrowding relief), and the remainder to those affected by squatter clearances, removal of rooftop structures, victims of fire; natural disasters and emergencies, compassionate cases recommended by the Social Welfare Department, and other applicants.

Save for non-elderly one-person applicants, flats are allocated to applicants on the waiting list according to their registration priority and their choice of districts. For non-elderly one-person applicants, allocation is based on a 'quota and points. system' in which priorities depend on the points an applicant has. These points are determined by the applicant's age at the time of registration, waiting time and whether he or she is already living in public rental housing. All applicants need to meet the HKHA's residence requirement and undergo a 'Comprehensive Means Test' and a 'Domestic Property Test' to qualify.

To speed up the allocation of some of the less popular flats, the HKHA has introduced an 'Express Flat Allocation Scheme' under which these flats are pooled for selection by eligible applicants on the waiting list. During the year, about 1 550 households were allocated public rental housing flats under the scheme.

The HKHA also offers accommodation to people whose squatter huts or rooftop structures are cleared by the Government, provided they meet certain conditions. About 360 people, affected by squatter and rooftop clearances were rehoused in 2010.

Home Ownership

Subsidised Sale Flats

About 463 000 subsidised sale flats were sold in past years to eligible. households at discounted prices under different Government subsidy programmes, such as the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), the Private Sector Participation Scheme (PSPS) and the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) which were discontinued in recent years in line with the Government's housing policy of focusing its resources on the provision of public rental housing to low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation.

The HKHA has put up the remaining surplus HOS flats for sale in phases. Six phases have been launched since 2007. The HKHS' surplus Flat-for-Sale Scheme (FFSS) flats were also put up for sale. The total number of surplus HOS and FFSS flats sold as at end of 2010 was 17 000.

The Government in collaboration with the HKHS introduced a plan in 2010 to help aspiring homeowners who are able to pay the mortgage, but not the downpayment on a flat. The scheme, called 'My Home Purchase Plan (MHPP)' followed a public consultation on subsidising home ownership. The MHPP serves as a buffer, not a move by the Government to return to more direct involvement in the property market.