Hong Kong Housing Authority estimated public rental housing allocation for 2018-19
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The Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 22) approved the estimated public rental housing (PRH) allocation for 2018-19 (see Table) and was briefed on the actual allocation in 2017-18.
It was originally estimated that 25 400 flats could be allocated in 2017-18 but the actual allocation turned out to be 21 397 flats (i.e. the number of housing offers accepted and flats taken up by applicants in or before March 2018). The variance was mainly due to the differences between the actual and estimated completion dates of some new estates. Specifically, the completion date of one new estate was earlier than estimated; whilst those of another three were later than expected, resulting in the difference between actual allocation and the original estimation figures.
In 2018-19, it is estimated that a total of 34 800 PRH flats, comprising 23 100 new flats and 11 700 refurbished flats, will be available for allocation. If the around 5 500 new flats which have not been allocated or taken up in 2017-18 were added back to the allocation in that year, the estimated allocation of new flats in 2018-19 would be around 17 600 which is slightly higher than around 14 000 in 2017-18.
"Among the estimated number for allocation in 2018-19, 25 450 flats (about 73 per cent) will be allocated to PRH applicants. This estimation is not an upper limit. Faced with the persistent stringent supply of PRH, we will endeavour to provide more PRH flats for allocation to PRH applicants as far as possible," a spokesman for the HA said.
The annual allocation quota for non-elderly one-person applicants under the Quota and Points System (QPS) is set at 10 per cent of the total number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants, subject to a cap of 2 200 flats. Accordingly, 2 200 flats are estimated to be allocated to QPS applicants in 2018-19.
"If the actual supply of PRH flats turns out to be less than estimated, we will keep the number of flats allocated to QPS applicants to not more than 10 per cent of the total number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants," the spokesman said.
A total of 350 flats are estimated for rehousing residents affected by clearance projects planned by different departments and the Urban Renewal Authority's redevelopment projects.
To facilitate the clearance and redevelopment projects of Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13 at Pak Tin Estate as well as Mei Tung House and Mei Po House at Mei Tung Estate announced in August 2017, a total of 800 flats will be reserved for the thinning-out transfer exercises.
"For planning purposes, 2 000 flats will be reserved for Compassionate Rehousing in 2018-19. This figure is not an upper limit, and, where resources permit, we will follow the established policy to handle all demands for rehousing as recommended by the Social Welfare Department," the spokesman said.
Moreover, an estimated number of 4 800 flats will be set aside for various transfer purposes in 2018-19. Among them, 1 600 flats will be used for transfer of under-occupation households and the large flats thus recovered can be deployed for easing the pressing demand of applicants with four or more household members. Additionally, a total of 1 000 flats will be reserved for applicants under the Territory-wide Overcrowding Relief Transfer Exercise and the Living Space Improvement Transfer Scheme. The remaining 2 200 flats will be flexibly deployed for other transfer purposes, including the Harmonious Families Transfer Scheme, the conversion programme of Housing for Senior Citizens, and Special Transfer for individual tenants on medical and/or social grounds.
"The quota for civil servants will be 1 400 in 2018-19, in accordance with the HA's approved annual increase by 100 flats for four consecutive years from 2015-16 to 2018-19 in the Civil Service Public Housing Quota," the spokesman said.
"We will closely monitor any changes in the circumstances and will remain flexible in the allocation of PRH flats to ensure optimisation of resources," he added.
Ends/Friday, June 22, 2018
Issued at HKT 20:15
Issued at HKT 20:15
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