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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The clearance operation of Sha Kok Mei Temporary Housing Area (THA) in Sai Kung, the last of its kind, commenced smoothly today (May 31), marking the final chapter of this type of housing development in Hong Kong.

The Government pledged in 1997 to clear all 18 THAs in Hong Kong to provide a more satisfactory living environment for the affected households. Since then, around 9,500 families or some 26,500 people have been rehoused.

The clearance of Sha Kok Mei THA, which housed 1,045 households, was announced in Aug 1998. Over 93% of them have now been rehoused to public rental housing or Interim Housing (IH) estates prior to today's operation.

A spokesman for the Housing Department said that remaining families agreeing to accept rehousing offers have been given a two-week grace period. Families who will be moving to other districts and have children attending schools in Sai Kung were allowed to stay until the end of next month, awaiting the summer break of their school terms.

"This arrangement, though warmly welcomed by local residents, is granted on exceptional grounds. It was taken to minimize the disturbance to those families with school children and have accepted offers of rehousing in other districts," the spokesman said.

With the successful clearance of the Sha Kok Mei THA, there will be no more THA in Hong Kong. THA is now replaced by a newer form of IH units which have self-contained facilities within each unit.

End/Thursday, 31 May, 2001

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