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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, today (September 19) visited the Housing Authority Customer Service Centre (CSC) at Lok Fu, and Choi Hung Estate in Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon.
Accompanied by Housing Authority member, Mr Henry Wu King-cheong, the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing), Mr Thomas Chan, the Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, and the Assistant Director of Housing (Housing Subsidies) Mr Wong Bay, Ms Cheng visited the CSC to understand various services and procedures in the application for public rental housing.
Ms Cheng was particularly interested in the one-stop services for elderly applicants aged 60 or above. Upon presentation of all necessary documents, applications and vetting can be processed instantaneously for them. They can then simply wait for the flat allocation at home. This one-stop service has been popular since it was launched in March 2004.
Ms Cheng commended the service as a customer-oriented measure because it not only simplifies procedures but also saves elderly applicants the trouble of making repeated trips to the CSC .
Ms Cheng then left for Choi Hung Estate, where she inspected the progress of the Estate Improvement Programme (EIP). A series of improvement works have already been completed under this programme, including rewiring of domestic flats and the laying of "air pollutant removal" pavers. The construction of lift towers will start by the end of this year for three of the blocks there, while the addition of greening areas, installation of fitness equipment for the elderly and renovation of public toilets for the estate will be carried out next year.
The cost of the EIP at Choi Hung Estate will be around $84.5 million in total. Ms Cheng said she fully endorsed the theme of providing a "green, lively and barrier free" living environment to residents under the EIP.
Ms Cheng also took the opportunity to visit a household, the Lam family, of Choi Hung Estate. The family has been residing in the estate ever since it was built over 40 years ago.
Before the end of the visit, Ms Cheng called on the Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service Choi Hung Community Centre for Senior Citizens to learn about the services provided to elderly residents by the centre.
Ends/Friday, September 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:08
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