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The Housing Authority will set aside around sixty percent of the housing quota for Waiting List (WL) eligible applicants in 2003/04 while continuing to maintain the average waiting time at three years.

The Authority's Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) approved today (May 29) the provision of 36,600 public rental housing (PRH) flats for eligible families, out of which a total of 21,800 flats will go to Waiting List (WL) applicants. The rest of 14,800 flats will be allocated to various categories. (See attached table)

The Chairman of the SHC, Mr Ng Shui-lai said, based on the PRH stock in hand, the supply for allocation in 2003/04 will be equally split between new and vacated flats. " In addition to this, those un-taken quota from other categories and the possibility of turning vacant Home Ownership Scheme sale units to rental use in future might boost the quota for WL applicants," he said.

"Though fewer flats will be set aside for WL applicants as compared to last year, the quota is still proportionally the largest, at 60%," said Mr Ng , who added that the Authority will continue to provide housing for the needy and that the average waiting time for WL applicants will be maintained at three years as pledged.

To satisfy rising demand from Government's clearance projects following the relaxation of the rehousing eligibility criteria, 1,100 flats will be set aside for rehousing squatters and rooftop clearees while another 1,000 flats for those affected by Urban Renewal Authority clearances.

Under the Comprehensive Redevelopment Programme for 2003/04, 1,800 rental flats are expected to be taken up by affected families from Lower Ngau Tau Kok (1) Estate due for clearance in June 2003, as well as Shek Kip Mei and Wong Chuk Hang Estates.

As for overcrowding relief and transfer needs, 7,000 flats will be set aside. Compared to last year's quota of 8,000, there will be a decrease of 1,000 flats or 12.5%, reflecting the drop in the number of overcrowded families from 11,376 in April 2002 to 8,500 in March 2003.

ALLOCATION OF PUBLIC FLATS


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                          No of Flats for  No of Flats for


                          Allocation in    Allocation in


                          2002/03          2003/04




Rehousing Category 




CLEARANCE


(a) Squatter Clearance              500        1,100


(b) Urban Renewal Authority       1,000        1,000


(c) Interim Housing Trawling        200          200






COMPREHENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT &     5,600        1,800


MAJOR REPAIRS




WAITING LIST                      26,600       21,800 Note




COMPASSIONATE                     2,000        2,000




TRANSFER


(a) Overcrowding Relief           4,500        4,000


(b) Transfers                     3,500        3,000




EMERGENCY                           100          100




CIVIL SERVANTS


(a) Junior Civil servants & Pensioners  1,500  1,500


(b) Redemption of Letters of Assurance    100    100


      by Estate Assistants


                                 Total 45,600  36,600

End/Thursday, May 29, 2003

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