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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
Rents for 6,385 flats in the Housing Authority's (HA) four new public rental housing (PRH) estates to be completed in the first half of next year will be set at the reduced district best rent levels.
The reduced best rent at $56 per square metre per month for flats in urban districts will apply to the 799 Non-standard flats at Mei Tung Estate, 1,600 Non-standard flats at Chai Wan Estate, 1,462 Non-standard flats at Choi Tak Estate and 2,524 Non-standard flats at Choi Fook Estate.
"Under this rent fixing exercise, more than 80% of the flats are set at a rent level below $1,800 per month," a spokesman for the HA said today (October 23), adding that PRH rents, inclusive of rates, management and maintenance costs, were heavily subsidised.
With the passage of the Housing (Amendment) Ordinance in June 2007, the HA implemented a rent reduction of 11.6% in August of the same year. The best rent levels for all districts have also been reduced by 11.6% correspondingly.
"Low-income households who cannot afford the rents of the new flats will be offered refurbished flats in older estates where they can apply for the Rent Assistance Scheme immediately," the spokesman added.
Ends/Friday, October 23, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:02
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