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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Housing Authority (HA) noted the judgment handed down today (21 November) by the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) which dismissed the appeal lodged by a public housing tenant against the HA's decisions to defer reviewing the rents of individual public housing estates in 2001 and 2002.
"The CFA's judgment clarifies HA's statutory obligations under the Housing Ordinance insofar as rent review is concerned. It also defines the circumstances under which the 10% Median Rent-to-Income Ratio (MRIR) cap applies. We will study carefully the implications of the judgment for our rent policy in conjunction with our legal team," a spokesman for the HA said.
"The Judicial Review cases underline the importance of identifying an alternative rent adjustment mechanism that is more viable and helps to promote the long-term sustainability of the public rental housing programme. We will shortly consult the public on the initial findings of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of Domestic Rent Policy," he said.
Ends/Monday, November 21, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:05
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