HK$110m refit, not the wreckers' ball, for old Aberdeen estate, home to 27,000
21 June 2008
South China Morning Post

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The Housing Department has decided to renovate a big public housing estate on a prime site in Southern District after inspectors found it was structurally sound.

Repairs to the Wah Fu Estate, where some buildings are more than 40 years old, will cost HK$110 million. The inspectors said the repairs would extend the estate's life by 15 years.

Critics accused the department of forcing tenants to live in poor conditions, but some elderly tenants said they would prefer to stay than move out, even though the estate was old.

The 5.7 hectare estate, built in phases between 1967 and 1978, comprises 18 blocks and is home to 27,000 people. It stands on an Aberdeen hillside overlooking Waterfall Bay and is just 500 metres from the luxury Bel-Air development at Cyberport.

A property analyst said if the estate were demolished, developers would pay HK$70 billion to HK$90 billion for the site.

The department said inspectors had found all the blocks at Wah Fu were safe, but structural repairs and improvement works were needed.

"It is more economically sustainable to retain the buildings by carrying out repair works than demolishing them for redevelopment," a spokesman said.

Improvement works, including the installation of lifts and escalators, would also be carried out to improve the living environment for tenants.

The spokesman said the works were expected to cost "slightly over HK$12,000" per flat. There are 9,147 flats on the estate.

Former Housing Authority member and veteran housing affairs critic Wong Kwun said: "The department is forcing tenants to live in poor condition by refusing to redevelop."

Water seepage and erosion of external walls were common complaints, he said.

He doubted the repairs would be cost-effective.

"Obviously, the department has tried to avoid redevelopment because it may not be able to find other places nearby to rehouse the tenants," said Mr Wong, who is chairman of the Federation of Public Housing Estates.

Yeung Sin-hung, a member of the authority's subsidised housing committee, said: "It would be more cost-effective and efficient to tear down the blocks and build new ones. Some of the blocks, especially those facing the sea, suffer serious sea-water erosion."

Southern District councillor Chai Man-hon said: "The younger tenants want redevelopment because they can move to newer flats. But the older tenants want to stay because they can keep their social network here."

Lau Chun-kong, international director of property agents Jones Lang LaSalle, estimated the site could sell for up to HK$10,000 per sq ft.

He agreed with Mr Wong that "the government may have some concerns over rehousing so many people, given the lack of public flats on the island".

nice and colorful tower blocks

The towers are bad, but the colors are good.

Interim housing block faces wrecker's ball
2 August 2008
South China Morning Post

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An interim housing block that has stood for 36 years has been earmarked for demolition in 2010 to make way for public housing.

Concrete surfaces and reinforcement bars in parts of Block 12 of Kwai Shing East Estate, which is 76 per cent vacant, have been found to be seriously corroded upon inspection by the Housing Authority.

Although experts concluded it was structurally safe, the maintenance costs to sustain the block for a further 15 years were estimated at about HK$40 million, making repairs financially unfeasible.

The authority's commercial properties committee and subsidised housing committee yesterday discussed clearance arrangements for 197 households still living in the 824-unit block.

An authority spokesman said most would be offered public housing and others were expected to be rehoused in other interim housing flats. The affected tenants would be given 18 months for rehousing and granted a removal allowance of HK$2,907 to HK$10,276, depending on the size of the household.

"Members at the meeting agreed that deserving households with special grounds and justifications, including recommendations by the Social Welfare Department, may be considered on their individual merits for rehousing in public rental housing flats," the spokesman said.

The authority came under fire for high vacancy rates in four interim blocks, including the Kwai Shing East one, from the Audit Commission in October 2006. It recommended converting the Kwai Shing East block for "other beneficial uses".

The Kwai Shing East block had been used for public housing, but was converted into interim housing in 1995 for people who were cleared from squats and ineligible for public housing.

Legco hopefuls lock horns over housing
5 August 2008
Hong Kong Standard

Kowloon West election hopefuls fought over government provision of public housing at the first public election forum yesterday.

The forum at the Jade Market, organized by the Society For Community Organization, also saw eight Legislative Council election candidates visit residents in cubicle dwellings in Sham Shui Po.

Liberal Party candidate Michael Tien Puk-sun came under fire from other candidates over his stance on public housing, since his party had disapproved of building Home Ownership Scheme flats and other benefits for poor residents such as rent control.

Tien said a balance should be struck in calling on the government to build public housing and HOS flats to make good use of resources. ``In the long run, the government, to increase the supply of housing, should build more public rental housing to shorten the waiting time for cubicle dwelling residents,'' he said.

But the government should help nongovernment organizations provide interim housing facilities as short-term relief.

Democratic Party incumbent lawmaker James To Kun-sun said the HOS was important too as it was a way for public housing residents to vacate their flats in favor of those in greater need.

He called on the government to review the seven-year residence rule to allow families with half of their members who are not permanent residents to move into public housing.

Independent candidate Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, a cubicle dweller when she was a toddler, described the living environment as ``humiliating.'' More public housing should be built to allow dwellers to move in within a year, she said.

After the forum, Tien said he understood some supermarkets are willing to accept food coupons issued by the government, if there is a system to verify that only those in need will get vouchers.

Kwai Chung Estate goes green
18 August 2008
Hong Kong Standard

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One of Hong Kong's oldest public estates has been transformed into a green model for others.

Kwai Chung Estate, built in the 1960s with rudimentary amenities, is now the greenest and largest public estate after a HK$2.4 billion redevelopment, which was completed in April this year.

Housing Department chief architect (procurement) Irene Cheng said landscape design is based on the concept of a ``hill town oasis.''

The 7.5 hectares of open space have been divided into four major areas offering different styles of active and passive open space for different age groups. A site for tai chi practice is surrounded by a complementary bamboo garden. The estate is 30 percent green with 160,000 plants and 100 mature trees.

Cheng said the Housing Authority will continue to grow more plants on rooftops, podiums and walkways. Greening will also be extended vertically next to roads with heavy traffic while the blocks are positioned to allow air to ventilate throughout the estate and provide shade.

The color green is also widely used for decoration to give more freshness to the estate. Some of the 13,742 flats are purpose- built for residents with special needs, including tactile guide paths.

For the blind, there are six multisensory maps at the main access points, with names of buildings in both Chinese and English.

^^ I hope nobody is going to chop the tree branches off because of stupid reasons and maintain the estate green.

Redevelopment of Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate
9/7

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3,300 surplus HOS flats to go up for sale in September
26 July 2008
South China Morning Post

Flats in the fourth batch of surplus stock from the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) will be priced from HK$450,000 to HK$2.91 million when they go on sale in September, a source said.

The Housing Authority plans to sell about 3,300 flats in September, leaving only 4,100 units unsold under a government plan to sell off the 16,000 leftover HOS flats. The source said that all surplus flats would be sold by next year.

Among the flats in the fourth batch will be 640 in Tung Tao Court, Shau Kei Wan, at an average price of HK$2,870 a square foot; 344 flats in King Hin Court, Wong Tai Sin, at HK$2,290; and 1,284 in Kam Fung Court, Ma On Shan, at HK$1,950.

Some of the Wong Tai Sin flats were temporary hostels for Hospital Authority staff during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, but the source said they had been restored and disinfected.

The source said 953 resale units, including 877 flats in Tin Fu Court, Tin Shui Wai, would also be up for sale.

The cheapest flat is a single-person unit of just over 200 sq ft in Kwun Hei Court, Kowloon City, going for about HK$450,000.

The source said the government had proposed the price range after taking property transactions in the second quarter of this year into account. She added that rising market prices had been reflected in the proposed prices, with increases averaging a few percentage points.

Flats in Tung Tao Court, near the MTR's Sai Wan Ho and Shau Kei Wan stations, have been priced 5 per cent higher than in a similar selling exercise earlier this year.

The Shau Kei Wan estate also has the most expensive unit of all. The top-priced unit, which has a sea view, has a proposed selling price of HK$2.91 million.

The fourth batch of flats, which constitute 21 per cent of the 16,000 flats left over when the HOS was mothballed in 2002, will be sold amid mounting calls for the scheme to be revived because rising property prices are squeezing lower-income buyers out of the market.

But the government has said it will not be resumed, arguing that private flats remain affordable.

Some property agents said the price of the latest batch looked cheap.

Kenny Yu Chi-man, Centaline's district manager for Ma On Shan, said the proposed low prices could affect the resale market for HOS flats. But he added that there would not be much impact on the rest of the market.

Mike Wong Wai-chun, a branch manager at a Centaline branch in Shau Kei Wan, said he expected the latest batch of flats in Tung Tao Court would receive positive feedback from eligible buyers because of the sea views.

The proposal will be discussed by a Housing Authority committee next Friday.

STH Visits Kwai Tsing Public Housing Estates
(Friday, 17 October 2008)
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The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, visited Kwai Tsing District today (October 17) to look at the Housing Department's (HD) plans to improve the pedestrian environment in public housing estates.

The Chief Executive announced in his 2008-09 Policy Address on Wednesday (October 15) that the HD would study the feasibility of installing lifts and escalators connecting common areas in hillside public housing estates, as well as lifts in walk-up, low-rise public housing blocks to facilitate resident access.

Accompanied by Housing Authority Member Mr Shih Wing-ching and the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing), Mr Thomas Chan, Ms Cheng first visited Cheung Hong Estate where a lift tower project is in the planning stage.

She was briefed on how the lift tower would eventually connect housing blocks in the lower platform to a commercial complex at a higher level. A detailed feasibility study for this project and a similar one in Cheung Ching Estate is being carried out and, subject to the study, works are scheduled for completion at the end of 2011.

Ms Cheng's next stop was Kwai Shing East Estate, a public rental housing estate built on a sloping site. Tenants will be provided with a lift tower near Shing Kwok House that would link existing escalators, covered walkway and the shopping centre in the estate.

While in Kwai Shing East Estate, Ms Cheng paid a home visit to an elderly couple, the husband of whom has difficulty in walking uphill after suffering a stroke several years ago. The couple were pleased to hear that the lift tower project in the estate was making good progress and would be completed in mid-2009.

Ms Cheng then visited Kwai Chung Estate ¡V an award-winning and the largest public rental housing estate, currently accommodating a population of 39 000 in about 13 700 flats.

Ms Cheng saw that to improve tenants¡¦ uphill access and connection between the estate and the nearby Tai Wo Hau MTR station, a 36-metre-high lift tower at Phase 5 and a 60-metre-long footbridge had been constructed and had opened for use last month (September).

To perfect the pedestrian access system for the residents between the lift tower and MTR station, more improvement works including walkway widening works would come on stream in Tai Wo Hau Estate. These works, together with the lift tower and the footbridge, cost about $52 million.

Kwai Chung Estate redevelopment project receives Quality Building Award
HA Article

The Housing Authority's project at the Kwai Chung Estate Phases 3, 4 and 5 redevelopment sites has recently received a merit award under the residential category of the Quality Building Award (QBA) 2008.

The QBA is a biennial event organised by various professional bodies of the building and construction industry. It gives recognitions to quality construction projects while promoting professionalism and teamwork among industry practitioners.

The theme for this year's Award was "Set no boundary for Quality Buildings". Entries under the residential category were subject to stringent judging criteria, which included the vision for quality and teamwork; design and innovation; project management and cost control; environmental considerations such as sustainability, safety and hygiene; users' comments, customer-satisfaction level, day-to-day operations and maintenance; etc.

Speaking at the QBA 2008 conference, Mrs Irene Cheng, Chief Architect (Procurement) of the Housing Department noted that despite public housing projects were often developed with limited resources, building quality could not be compromised. She stressed the importance of meeting the needs of the community and thriving with the times through innovation. She also elaborated how the project team of Kwai Chung Estate worked closely together throughout the 15-year redevelopment process and strived to honour the Housing Authority's pledges in the areas of planning, design, construction, maintenance and management.

Ms Ada Fung, Deputy Director of Housing (Development and Construction) was glad to see the Kwai Chung Estate redevelopment project winning a well-deserved recognition in the QBA 2008. Quoting Aristotle's saying "Quality is not an act, it is a habit", she commended the project team and encouraged colleagues to achieve an even higher quality standard of work while upholding the "customer care" principle. "In this way, we can even contribute to promoting a quality culture in the construction industry," she said.

Last revision date: 1 August 2008

Landscape Improvement Works in Estates
26 September 2008
HA Article

The Housing Department's Horticulture Team has recently completed two landscaping projects to improve the environment in Ping Shek Estate and Shek Yam East Estate.

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In Ping Shek Estate, the Team has converted the base of a staircase at a podium into an area with aesthetic landscaping. Various species of seasonal flowers and foliage were planted in the flower beds located in some open areas in Shek Yam East Estate so that tenants can enjoy a greener environment.

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More landscape improvement works will be carried out in other estates to create a healthier living environment for tenants.

100M for a lifespan of 15 years is a lot. Then you will still face the prospect of relocating these 27000 people
and demolition.

100M for a lifespan of 15 years is a lot. Then you will still face the prospect of relocating these 27000 people
and demolition.

Hong Kong is in a constant state of renewal, so it's very likely new units will be able to accomodate existing residents in estates slated for demolition.

空置街市活化變大學教室 舊屋邨人流低 房署擬改設施用途
10月20日 星期一 05:05

- high vacancy rates at markets in older housing estates are prompting ideas for use changes
- City University is planning to use some of these empty stores for school functions

【明報專訊】舊式屋邨街市面對人口老化和競爭，面臨被淘汰命運，空置率高企亦令房屋署被人詬病，但其遍佈各區的地利卻成活化契機。房署正陸續改建全港11個空置街市和停車場，其中有25年歷史的澤安邨街市，原有八成空置，已吸引鄰近的城市大學斥資數百萬元改作多用途活動室，以節省擴建大學開支；空置的「冬菇亭」則會改為供居民唱戲和弈棋的小型社區中心。

房署多年來奉行一屋邨一商場（街市）策略，有25年歷史的深水埗澤安邨，雖然只有4500人居住，但亦有一座有30個檔位的街市，還有一個俗稱「冬菇亭」的大牌檔。然而，隨着區內海麗邨和富昌邨等新型屋邨近年落成，吸引大批年輕居民遷出，加上連鎖超市和區內街市競爭，導致老街市經營陷入困境。

鄰近地鐵站具發展潛力

房署高級房屋事務經理胡栢霖接受訪問時說，澤安街市於3年前起出現空置高企問題，僅得五金和報紙檔等6間店舖繼續營業，房署遂於06年開始研究改變街市用途。他稱，當年署方透過市場調查，發現該街市鄰近石硤尾地鐵站，租金亦較私人商場廉宜，因此有潛力改作課室或辦公室。

房署去年重新招租後，即被份屬「鄰居」的城市大學看中，租用作教學發展用途，以低廉租金紓緩擴建壓力，租期至2013年。胡栢霖表示，整個街市樓面近9500平方呎，城大正斥資數百萬元改建，加建電力和消防設施，使之成為多用途室，供學校舉行各式活動，和另設辦公室和印刷等後勤設施。

冬菇亭變小型社區中心

胡栢霖又稱，改建工程最困難在於安置原來6個商戶，最終房署打通原來公屋大廈地下街舖，加設照明和鐵閘等成為小型「購物廊」，讓原來商戶繼續經營。另外，昔日冬菇亭則改裝成圖書閣、自修室、唱戲曲和棋藝室，成為「四合一」小型社區設施，為街坊增添聚腳點。他說﹕「以前街坊要在路邊唱曲，不時被指聲浪過大，現時街坊可在室內冬菇亭唱曲，減少對附近滋擾。」

胡稱，屋邨空置商場最大優勢在於遍佈各區，亦有一定人流支持市場需求，即使放棄經營街市亦可另覓發展，如南山邨和彩虹邨停車場亦準備租予教育機構作課室；香港郵政亦看中麗瑤邨及鯉魚門邨兩個市區車場，計劃租用改裝成特快專遞樞紐，配合中環郵政總署搬遷需要。現時屋邨商場空置率已由高峰期10％減至4.24%，低於7％目標，停車場空置率亦由高峰期38％降至三成。

明報記者 賴偉家

公屋建築成本第二季創新高，工程界料建材價急漲對私樓影響有限
經濟通
8月25日 星期一 08:41

- inflation has pushed raw materials costs for public housing construction up 42% in Q2 vs. prev year
- cost rise in the past 2-3 years is primarily affected by rising fuel costs and RMB appreciation
- developments in Macau and Middle East are also pushing up raw materials prices

物價上升，建築材料價格亦大幅上漲，本港今年第二季的公營房屋建築成本，創下有紀錄以來最高水平，較去年同期急升４２％。

房委會消息人士指出，近月已把工程招標預算調高３０％，但不會削減建屋量。有工程界人士認為，建材價急漲對私樓的影響有限，不會刺激樓價上揚。

反映房委會建造公屋成本的「新建工程投標價格指數」，最新數據顯示今年第二季升至９６０，是自７０年有紀錄以來最高，比０７年同期的６７５，上升了４２％。

若以房委會每年建築開支平均約５５億元計算，有關支出因此增加約２３億元。

消息人士表示，過去２、３年察覺到建材價有上升的趨勢，主要受燃油價格上升及人民幣升值影響，致石屎及鋼材等原材料價格急升，加上澳門和中東等地區近年急劇發展，令公屋建屋成本顯著上升。

消息人士又謂，房委會在建屋成本控制方面，一直做了大量工作，坦言再下調的空間有限：「公共房屋已用「美而廉」物料及實而不華的設計，人手亦已「瘦無可瘦」，但最重要興建公屋是房委會的責任，不可能因成本上升便建少些！」

LCQ18: Installing air-conditioning systems in public markets
Government Press Release
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

Concerning the installation of air-conditioning systems in public markets under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Hong Kong Housing Authority, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the names of the public markets not yet installed with such systems and the districts in which these markets are located, as well as the reasons for not yet installing such systems;

(b) whether the authorities concerned will review the current criteria for installing such systems in public markets and whether such systems will be installed in all public markets in Hong Kong; if there will be no review or such systems will not be installed, of the reasons for that; and

(c) whether the authorities concerned have evaluated the impact of not having such systems installed in public markets on their competitiveness against private superstores, and whether the room for survival of public markets will be reduced indirectly?

Reply:

President,

Whilst the project costs for installing air-conditioning systems in the existing public / public housing estate markets are borne by the Government or the Housing Authority (HA), the market tenants are responsible for paying the subsequent recurrent costs such as electricity charges and maintenance fees. Besides, full cooperation from market tenants during the construction period is also needed as partial closure of the market may be required during the installation works. Therefore, the installation of air-conditioning systems in public / public housing estate markets is not only due to technical feasibility, but also support from the majority of market tenants and their agreement to bear the recurrent expenditure.

Our reply to the three-part question raised by Hon Lau Kong-wah is as follows:

(a) At present, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) manages a total of 80 public markets, of which 60 are not provided with air-conditioning. Of the 40 public markets with built-in cooked food centres (CFCs), 19 are not provided with air-conditioning. As for the 19 public housing estate markets managed by the HA, 16 are not provided with air-conditioning. Details are at Annex.

Most of the public / public housing estate markets with no air-conditioning were built in the 1970s and 1980s, and air-conditioning systems or supporting facilities for installing such systems were not included in the original market design. For some markets, proposals to install air-conditioning systems were not supported by the majority of market tenants.

(b) The Administration will review from time to time whether the existing policy on installing air-conditioning systems in public markets remains appropriate. As mentioned above, the project costs for installing air-conditioning systems in the existing public markets are borne by the Government or HA. The project costs are also quite substantial. Take public markets under FEHD as an example, depending on the size of the market and complexity of the installation works, the installation works for each market can cost tens of millions. In fact, there are divergent views in the community on whether air-conditioning systems should be installed in public markets. Some opine that installing air-conditioning systems would enhance the attractiveness of public markets. However, some market tenants are of the view that installing air-conditioning systems would increase their operating cost. In view of the huge amount of project costs involved, when the Legislative Council considered proposals in the past to install air-conditioning systems in public markets and CFCs, there were comments that due care should be exercised when considering such proposals in view of the substantial amount of public money involved in installing air-conditioning systems.

(c) The viability of public markets is affected by a myriad of factors, including the location of the market, demographic mix in the district, competition from fresh provision shops in the vicinity, the price and quality of the products offered for sale, and the varieties of products available in the markets, etc. As pointed out in Report No. 41 by the Director of Audit, evidence indicating that the retrofitting of air-conditioning systems can improve the viability of a public market has yet to be found. As a matter of fact, the market stall vacancy rates of some public markets retrofitted with air-conditioning systems remain high.

The FEHD and the HA have been keeping in view the viability of public / public housing estate markets and will continue to carry out improvement works to enhance their attractiveness. Such improvement works include enhancing the effectiveness of the ventilation and lighting system, improving drainage system, modifying the design and sizes of market stalls, renovation of ceiling, provision of new signage, renovation of market toilets, upgrading of fire services installations and replacement of wall / floor tiles, etc.

Redevelopment of Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate
10/25

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Tin Shui Wai Public Housing Projects - Tin Yuet Station

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新公屋研裝隔音預製組件
星島
10月27日 星期一 05:30

本港不少公屋用地也是坐落於高速公路或鐵路旁邊，房署最近開始在內地研製具有隔音功能的預製組件，改善未來公屋設計，不用再因為避開道路噪音，而要浪費開揚景觀。房署計畫率先將新的隔音組件應用於地形狹細的新公屋地盤。據了解，在個別測試之中，隔音預製組件成功將噪音降低五分貝，足以令部分位於馬路旁的公屋用地，單位噪音「達標」。

規劃建屋 可擇近車路

過去，房署為避免居民「面」向馬路噪音，往往在規劃建屋設計時，就作出遷就，如將廁所、走廊等部分面向開揚景觀的路面，但就犧牲了單位內的大廳或房間，要因此失去美麗「靚景」。房署近年在興建公屋時，積極使用預製組件，為解決問題，最近再嘗試在組件中加入隔音功能，部分房委會委員曾到位於東莞的生產廠房參觀研製及測試過程。

消息人士解釋，可供房委會興建公屋的地皮近年買少見少，加上社會對環保訴求有所提升，需要為鄰近車路或鐵路的建築地盤，研究如何減低噪音。他坦言：「房署的公屋不能如私樓一樣，可以通過『贈送』冷氣機來解決噪音問題。」

據了解，正在研製中的隔音預製組件，外形猶如一個小型「騎樓」，融入至公屋單位之中，除了使用透明玻璃纖維等吸音物料，單位外牆兩旁亦會採用稍微傾斜的「翼牆」設計，方便阻隔地面的車流噪音；在個別測試之中，新設計的預製組件成功將噪音減低五分貝以上。消息人士稱：「不要少看這五分貝，在部分公屋地盤之中，這足以通過環保署 的噪音規定。」

仍待測試 設計須相融

他指出，近年分配給房署建公屋的地盤狹細，難以單憑改變設計規劃去解決噪音問題，若非引入隔音設施，部分地盤根本難以用作興建公屋；故已物色一些細小地盤，研究率先引入有關設施，「引入可隔音設施，難免須增加成本，但卻避免浪費珍貴的土地資源。」

不過，有關隔音預製組件仍須作進一步測試，始能作實際應用，房署希望能盡量優化組件的設計，視覺上既可融入至公屋大廈的設計，組件的「凸出」部分也不會帶來額外的清潔維修問題。

屯門區過去就有不少屋邨均採用「單向式」座向設計，降低噪音水平。該區區議員陳雲生指出，計畫於屯門第十八區興建的其中一幢公屋大廈，就是夾於兩條高速公路之間。他認為，引入具隔音功能的預製組件，構想是好，但由於環保設施始終會佔用單位面積，擔心影響可建公屋單位數目。記者 歐志軍

房委會擬用9.5億增設升降機
星島
10月24日 星期五 10:57

房委會在未來5年會動用9.5億元，在屋邨加裝700部升降機，方便長者出入。運輸及房屋局長鄭汝樺出席立法會委員會時表示，升降機改善工程，包括在依山而建的屋邨，加建扶手電梯，或者加裝電梯，為沒有電梯設備的舊屋邨加建升降機等，方便居民上落。而民主黨的李華明就指，部分公屋的電梯「有上無落」，要求當局加快興建進度。鄭汝樺回應指，會諮詢區議會，亦會詳細評估每一個項目的人流和工程可行性。

政府無計劃復建居屋
明報
10月24日 星期五 10:05

運輸及房屋局長鄭汝樺表示，現時市況不明朗，社會對復建居屋無共識，故此政府無計劃復建居屋。

鄭汝樺指，根據出售剩餘居屋的時間表，明年約有4100個單位分兩期出售。而未來5年仍會興建足夠公屋單位，維持公屋申請輪候3年上樓的目標。

By 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

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Why does the city have to pick the ugliest paint colors for the housing projects?

They really should just keep them white.

Why does the city have to pick the ugliest paint colors for the housing projects?

I believe the reason is practical. Due to Hong Kong's location in the tropics, using bricks and dark-coloured materials accelerates the heat island effect as these colours trap heat, hence building exteriors are kept lightly-coloured to reflect off the sun's rays from the buildings.

Shek Mun by 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

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Tin Shui Wai Projects

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Ping Shek Estate structurally safe
Government Press Release
Monday, November 10, 2008

The Housing Department (HD) will spend about $45.8 million on building improvement works for Ping Shek Estate, Kwun Tong, to sustain it for the next 15 years.

The department recently completed a comprehensive structural investigation for Ping Shek Estate and it was found that all the seven building blocks are structurally safe. However, because of ageing problems and corrosion, structural repair and improvement works will have to be carried out in various locations of the buildings

“Estate improvement works include the construction of lifts and additional lift floor openings to facilitate access as well as installation of green roofs. They will be carried out in parallel to enhance the living environment for the tenants,” a spokesman for the department said today (November 10).

“To ensure safety and minimise nuisance arising from the repair and improvement works, safety measures will be introduced and less disturbing repair methods will be used,” the spokesman said.

“The works will be carried out in sequence to minimise disturbance to the tenants,” the spokesman said.

Completed between 1970 and 1971, Ping Shek Estate comprises 4,575 flats in seven blocks of eight to 28 storeys. It is the last of the first batch of 10 estates under the Comprehensive Structural Investigation Programme.

The programme was launched by the Housing Department in 2005 for aged public rental housing estates to study whether the housing blocks were structurally safe and economically sustainable. It was later expanded to cover another 32 estates.

坪石邨不拆 半億元重修
11月11日 星期二 05:05

【明報專訊】房屋署已完成有38年樓齡的觀塘坪石邨的全面結構勘察工作，發現邨內7幢住宅樓宇結構安全，毋需清拆，但因樓宇老化及環境侵蝕，署方將動用4580萬元做改善工程，包括安裝升降機、鋪設綠化屋頂等，相信可為該邨延壽15年。

加裝升降機 料可延壽15年

房屋署發言人表示，現時邨內部分樓層未有升降機直達，署方將透過改善工程，增加升降機出入口，方便居民上落，預計明年初會啟動安裝升降機的工程，歷時約18個月，但具體工程時間、設計等，皆視乎屋邨諮詢委員會及居民的意見。

坪石邨為「全面結構勘察計劃」首批10個屋邨的最後一個，計劃於2005年9月開始推行，為樓齡約40年或以上的屋邨做結構安全勘察，以決定持續保存這些屋邨是否符合成本效益。房屋委員會 策劃小組委員今年初同意將計劃擴展至32個於1974至1980年間落成的屋邨，有關勘察計劃將陸續展開。

Bare market
The Link Reit's hefty rental rises in defiance of a grim economy may backfire as small traders are forced out of business
13 November 2008
South China Morning Post

The lease on her 88 sq ft ground floor stall is up for renewal next month and managers have set the new rent at HK$23,000. The HK$5,000 monthly rental she pays now is slightly below market rates, but at HK$261 per sq ft, the new rent is almost triple that at a nearby fresh market at City One Plaza, a private residential estate.

"The rent rise is crazy," Yeung complains. "How can I afford such a huge sum in the midst of an economic downturn?"

Two weeks ago she joined other stall owners at the market in a protest against the rent increases demanded by Superhappy Investment, running the space on behalf of The Link Management.

It was the latest in a series of run-ins that have plagued the management since 2005, when the government privatised commercial space on public housing estates in a sale to The Link Reit. The publicly listed real estate investment trust took control of 180 properties that included 150 shopping centres, 100 fresh food markets and 178 car parks. The move brought HK$30 billion into Housing Authority coffers, and it was also supposed to benefit shopkeepers and residents by introducing more streamlined commercial operations.

But The Link Reit has been mired in controversy, from disputes over lease conditions and rentals to residents unhappy at the prospect of higher prices in their local shops.

Last month, shopkeepers at Lok Fu Shopping Centre again staged a protest against The Link Reit's declaration that after renovations at the arcade are completed next year, rent for some units will more than quadruple, from HK$30 per sq ft to HK$130 per sq ft.

In a written response to criticisms of "unreasonable" rent, a Link spokesman said the rate was adjusted to market conditions and the circumstances of individual shops, and provided "value for rent".

But that claim looks increasingly shaky as rents are forecast to decline amid the global economic slowdown.

Kenny Mui King-kuen, a consultant at Centaline Property, says rent in second-tier shopping districts such as Jordan and Tsuen Wan is set to fall at least 10 per cent over the next 12 months as landlords strive to maintain occupancy.

Property agency Colliers International reports that average rentals at prime shopping districts such as Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay fell 3.6 per cent in the third quarter of this year. Yet The Link's new rates at the Lok Fu arcade, located in a low-income neighbourhood, are almost as high as those at premium locations such as Mong Kok's Argyle Centre (HK$150-HK$300 per sq ft). Lok Fu rents are also much higher than arcades of a similar grade, such as the Dragon Centre in Sham Shui Po (about HK$50 per sq ft), and Amoy Plaza in Ngau Tau Kok (HK$60-HK$100 per sq ft).

The Link's strategy seems to be to boost profits by giving its properties a makeover and bringing in higher-end retailers that can pay higher rents, typically chain operations. And if existing shops catering to budget-conscious customers move out because they find costs too steep, that's just too bad.

But it's hard to see how such an approach can work when Link properties are located on public housing estates inhabited by low-income families. Many residents at Lok Fu Estate, for instance, are elderly people on welfare. Higher-end retailers won't get much patronage from cost-conscious public housing residents - so who will shop at the upgraded malls and markets?

Hau Tak shopping centre at Tseung Kwan O gets some traffic from nearby Sai Kung. Similarly, retailers at Tak Tin market in Lam Tin survived despite having to raise prices because they also attract middle-class customers from private housing estates nearby.

But Ho Wai-man, of the Federation of Public Housing Estates, says it isn't always possible to attract customers from outside public housing estates, especially in locations such as Tin Shui Wai.

"Meanwhile, the upgraded retail centres have affected residents with less disposable income," he says.

At Sun Tin Wai Shopping Centre in Sha Tin, a restaurant that couldn't afford the rent has been replaced by a nursing home. Such a radical change in business functions also eventually affects customer traffic, says To Kwan-hang of watchdog group Link Watch.

"The nursing home doesn't serve the neighbourhood because most of its clients are from other districts," he says. "The restaurant used to draw customers to the wet market because people tended to drop by after having dim sum. But stall owners at the wet market complain custom has dropped since the restaurant closed."

Peter Wong Yee-wai, executive director of the Lion Rock Institute, a pro free-market think-tank, doubts many firms will open new outlets in spruced-up Link facilities, especially in the tough economic climate.

"The aggressive rent rise by The Link is not a sound business strategy," he says.

Lingnan University economics professor Ho Lok-sang says: "The rent increase might bring short-term profit for Link shareholders, but if a lot of small vendors can't afford the rents, they will eventually move out, resulting in a high vacancy rate. The long-term turnover might even shrink," he says. "In such tough times, it makes more sense to freeze rent to retain tenants, as most property companies are doing."

So why is The Link Reit persisting with its strategy? After all, it is controlled by international hedge funds, supposedly run by skilled managers.

Paul Cheng Ming-fun, who quit as The Link's chairman last year because he opposed rent increases, says its institutional investors have failed to take into account the government's expectation that the properties, while commercially run, would nonetheless benefit working-class communities.

"The hedge funds rushed in purely because they felt the valuation at the time of the initial public offering was low and that they could quickly change the nature of the arcades and speed up the valuation process," Cheng says.

"The hedge funds bought the wrong product, and the ones with significant shareholdings may have a difficult time exiting their investments. Reits, by and large, are investments more suitable for insurance companies and pension funds looking for steady income and not for investors looking for gains within shorter time frames."

While he was with The Link, Cheng says, hedge funds were pressing its management to bring in new tenants to get higher rentals than if they renewed existing leases.

"As a result, some small shopkeepers' leases were not renewed unless they were willing to pay the higher rents. In other words, these malls may eventually compete more with private sector malls rather than serve grass-roots communities," he says.

"I tried my best to brief the hedge funds, but they were - and probably still are - more concerned with making a profit for their shareholders than giving due consideration to the local social situation."

Legislator Alan Leong Kah-kit says public housing residents are hardest hit by The Link's policy as they have been deprived of a choice of budget outlets in their estates. "Kai Tin shopping centre in Lam Tin used to have some small stalls selling a bowl of congee for under HK$10. But now they've been replaced by a chain operator whose prices are almost double," he says.

This is at odds with The Link's mission to "refine the trade mix with a view to providing a wider assortment of quality choices at affordable prices".

Government officials insist The Link has a right to determine its business strategy, but Leong says there's no excuse for the government to turn a blind eye to its rent policy, which is affecting quality of life on public estates.

"It's a statutory duty of the government [under the Housing Ordinance] to make sure the life of public housing residents is properly provided for. The obligation cannot be transferred even after selling the asset to The Link," he says.

Leong urges the government to exert pressure on major Link shareholders to face up to their social responsibilities.

But it may be too late for vegetable seller Tam So-mui, 46, whose rent at Yu Chui will nearly double under the new lease. She started the business when her husband lost his job six years ago, renting a 170 sq ft stall at the market.

"I didn't want to live on welfare and that's why we run this vegetable stall. But I won't be able to pay an extra HK$8,000 in rent," she says.

Un Chau Estate Redevelopment
11/16

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安 達 臣 石 礦 場 規 劃 建 公 屋

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星島日報報道

城市規劃委員會通過支持將九龍市中心的「高地」安達臣道石礦場舊址，定為具房屋發展潛力地點，區內約二十五公頃土地規劃作「住宅（甲類）」地帶，發展公營房屋，預計首批公屋於二○一五年三月入伙；而為了環保及節省資源，土木工程拓展署正研究，讓石礦場運作至二○一三年十月，將開採的三萬噸石料製成混凝土、瀝青等，供應本港基建工程。

城規會昨日正式通過修訂觀塘北部的分區計畫大綱圖，讓安達臣道石礦場舊址，獲選定為具房屋發展潛力的地點。佔地約一百七十一公頃的規劃區，其中二十五公頃，會用作發展房屋。約四點五公頃土地，則劃作「政府、機構或社區」地帶，主要擬議的設施，包括中小學、電力支站，以及食水抽水站。至於寶琳路與秀茂坪道交界處用地，則預留作廟宇發展和公眾休憩處。

而該區南部及北部的陡峭山坡，佔地共約十八公頃，則劃作「綠化地帶」，以保存其自然風貌。當局預計，安達臣道的公共房屋及相關設施，首期可於二○一五年三月入伙，並規劃承建商須在入伙前一年半，即二○一三年十月完成爆破工程，並於二○一六年六月前完成美化環境工程，包括栽種植物及進行護養工作。為減少對環境造成破壞及浪費，涉及大量移山工程的安達臣道公屋發展計畫，正研究循環再用開山時所產生的約三萬噸石料，運往毗鄰的石礦場處理後，再製成混凝土、瀝青等製品，供應至本港其他基建工程。

土木工程拓展署向觀塘區議會提交的文件顯示，署方準備與安達臣道石礦場承建商商討，讓發展計畫時所產生的剩餘石料，運往石礦場處理，製成建築用石料，以供應本地建造業使用。署方預計未來四年期間，有關工程會產生約三萬噸石料，可研究運往毗鄰的石礦場處理，再製成混凝土、瀝青等製品。

署方認為，有關安排既可善用本地現存的寶貴天然資源，又可穩定本港基建工程石料的供應，並且大幅減少運泥車運送剩餘石料至啟德臨時躉船轉運站的架次。

另外，隨覑社會對斜坡外觀日漸關注，土木工程拓展署昨日委託顧問，準備展開一項「改善斜坡外觀的試驗性研究」，當局已在全港挑選四百七十一幅斜坡，全部位於繁忙路段或人煙稠密位置。當局會要求顧問公司為有關斜坡搜集詳細資料，以及建議改善斜坡外觀的方式，並於最後挑選其中十五幅斜坡作改善試點。

2008-11-15

免礙景觀增青山公路負荷 屯門東棄建公屋減密度
21 November 2008
星島日報

為降低建築物發展密度，政府連日不斷出招。土木工程拓展署及規劃署昨日公布屯門東十四幅地皮規劃最新建議，當中原定用作興建公屋、發展密度較其他地皮為高的一幅公屋用地，建議改劃為中、低密度私營住宅；另外會保留五幅土地作政府、機構及社區用途。區議員對發展計畫持不同意見，有議員對新方案表示歡迎，認為不再起屏風樓，正面回應區議會訴求；但也有議員認為該處應該興建居屋，供應區內居民。

保留五地作政府用途

當局就屯門東十四幅用地展開第二階段諮詢。其中，有意作公屋用途的第十四號用地，在文件中已確定建議用作興建中、低密度私人住宅，密度由原本的二點五倍地積比，進一步下降至一點三倍；另有六幅本規劃作「政府、機構或社區」用途的土地，現保留五幅作相關用途。

文件中指出，在第一階段諮詢時有意見指，該土地位置偏僻、附近缺乏就業機會及公共設施，以及較高密度的公屋發展與附近一帶的低密度發展並不協調。有關部門平衡各考慮因素後，最終建議該地段作中、低密度私營住宅發展。文件中又提及到，屯門東的整體發展密度宜保持在地積比率零點四至一點三之間，以避免影響景觀，以及加重青山公路的負荷、噪音所帶來的影響。

無屏風樓 區議員歡迎

公眾對保留土地作政府、機構及社區用途有強烈訴求，現將保留五幅土地作專上院校、國際學校及中學等社區設施的發展。

另外，文件中又建議，將來發展商在設計研究土地發展時，應注意樓宇發展的高度、綠化措施等，更強調要有通風設計，避免在樓宇布局上引致屏風效應。

民建聯區議員陳雲生表示，對十四號土地用作私營房屋發展表示歡迎。他指出，若然該處興建公營房屋，將對區內樓價構成壓力，又會令本已沉重的屯門區交通系統百上加斤，文件中亦提到要避免屏風樓的設計，整體來說是對區議會一次較正面的回應。

民主黨區議員陳樹英表示，她較傾向在不影響樓市的情況下，於該處興建居屋，一來有助年輕人置業，二來有助房委會增加名下資產，長遠減輕房委會財政收入不穩健的問題，亦可與港鐵融資興建鐵路，解決區內交通問題。

揀樓不足一個月 寧損失十萬元
居屋準業主撻訂離場
21/11/2008
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金融海嘯導致本港樓市急挫，最新推出的居屋貨尾銷情冷淡，六成準買家揀樓時「甩底」，更有已簽署買賣協議的準業主撻訂離場，現時揀樓不足一個月，已有三名成功揀樓的準業主突然申請撤銷買賣協議，遭房屋委員會沒收相等於樓價百分之五的訂金，損失近十萬元，他們分別是一名綠表及兩名白表申請人，涉及屋苑包括居屋樓王筲箕灣東濤苑及黃大仙瓊軒苑。

東濤苑二期平均售價一百一十五萬元至二百九十一萬元，黃大仙瓊軒苑售價則由八十七萬元至二百三十五萬元不等。以準買家選購單位售價為一百五十萬至二百萬元計算，估計他們被沒收的訂金達七萬多至十萬元。

今期居屋上月底開始揀樓，截至昨日為止，房署邀請了三千人出席揀樓，但結果只有一千二百人到場，當中一千一百人成功揀選單位，佔總單位三成四，當中以筲箕灣東濤苑銷情較佳，已售出近四百個單位，天水圍天富苑的銷情則最差，售出單位僅五十多個。

房屋署發言人表示，並無查問今期居屋三名申請人撤銷買賣協議的原因，未知是否與金融海嘯有關。強調房委會沒收訂金後，不會再向申請人追回日後出售有關單位時出現的差價。由於有關買賣尚未完成所有程序，申請人亦不會被視作曾擁有該單位，他們可繼續申請居屋及住於公屋中。

申補地價個案銳減
另外，受經濟轉差影響，近期居屋業主向房署申補地價的個案亦銳減，上月居屋補地價宗數只有一百五十九宗，較去年同期大幅減少三成八。上期居屋原本亦有三名業主申請補地價，涉及旺角富榮花園、錦豐苑及和明苑，其後一名業主撤回申請。

房署發言人指出，若居屋業主經濟劇變，例如破產及收入銳減以致無力償還按揭供款等，需將單位出售，而有關業主又符合其他申請公屋條款，房署會酌情考慮接納有需要人士的公屋申請。

公屋聯會主席王坤估計有關準業主可能是受金融海嘯衝擊，才撻訂離場。「簽得買賣協議，就當然想做業主啦，除非迫不得已ｼ，撻訂涉及近十萬元，依家咁砼環境，都幾傷。」他認為房署應主動了解準業主撻訂的原因，並提供適當的協助。

明年新公屋 訂最貴租金
22 November 2008
文匯報

【本報訊】經濟嚴冬降臨，但房委會未有與基層市民共渡時艱。明年落成的5個位於市區及馬鐵石門站附近的新屋屯，合共約1.1萬個公屋單位，租金依然令人吃不消，每平方米租金介乎54.1元至56元，維持最高租值，逾84%單位每月繳交低於1,800元租金。有公屋團體批評，包括公屋輪候冊家庭在內的公屋家庭入息中位數僅7,200元，但新屋屯租金已佔入息1/4，建議將租金水平調低1成，以體恤市民。

明年1月至7月落成的5個新公共屋屯，合共有11,279個單位，當中東隧旁地盤第4期油麗屯的1,576個單位、藍田第7和8期的藍田屯 3,036個單位、秀茂坪第13和14期秀茂坪屯的3,995個單位，以及黃大仙上屯第3期的714個單位，每月租金為每平方米56元，即單位租金介乎 950至2,240元。

84%單位月租低於1,800元

至於沙田第11區的石門屯，包括1,598個新和諧式單位及360個非標準型附翼單位，每月租金為每平方米54.1元，即單位租金介乎960至2,140元。

房委會發言人昨日表示，去年8月起全港公屋減租11.6%，而明年推出的5個新屋屯的租金水平，亦因應作出調整，認為租金水平為準租戶所能負擔，而且租金已獲得相當大的資助，相信逾84%新公屋單位每月繳交租金低於1,800元。發言人又稱，入住1992年前建成屋屯的租戶，有需要可申請「租金援助計劃」。

公屋聯會主席王坤批評，房委會以各區最高租值訂定新屋屯租金，雖未違反過往做法，但目前經濟轉差，房委會應體恤公屋住戶的負擔能力。他指，房署早前曾把公屋輪候冊的家庭計算在內，11萬公屋家庭的入息中位數僅7,200元，證明基層市民生活艱難，他建議房委會調低新屋屯的租金1成，較為切合目前經濟情況。

1.1萬公屋明年推 團體促減租
14 November 2008
香港經濟日報

經濟環境轉壞，但房委會並未體䘏基層市民經濟負擔能力下跌，建議5個明年上半年落成、坐落市區或鐵路沿線的公屋「筍盤」約1.1萬個單位，每平方米租金介乎54.1至56元，仍維持該等地區最高租值。

坐落市區等 維持最高租值

有公屋團體批評，房委會漠視輪候公屋人士面對的困難，促請應立即調低新屋村租金水平。

明年1至7月落成的5個屋村，包括東隧旁4期的油麗村、藍田7和8期、秀茂坪13和14期、黃大仙上村及沙田石門村3期共16幢大廈，合共有11,279個單位。

除前四者位處市區外，石門村亦位於馬鐵石門站附近，而油麗村1,576個單位中，部分更可飽覽鯉魚門海景，故此這批單位，絕對是近年難得一見的公屋「筍盤」。

為配合去年8月起全港公屋減租11.6%，今次5個新屋村的租金水平相應調低，但單位租金仍介乎950至2,240元。房委會估計，有關屋村每年營運將錄得約700萬元虧損，平均每個單位每年需補貼621元。房委會資助房屋小組下周五前不提出任何異議，便會正式落實有關租金建議。

公屋聯會主席王坤批評，面對經濟逆轉情況下，房委會仍以各區最高租值訂定新屋村租金，是罔顧輪候公屋者負擔能力，漠視基層人士的困難。他認為，現時公屋租金檢討機制存在漏洞，在訂定新屋村租金時不能配合經濟環境轉變，擔心不少人入住後，生活水平反而下降，建議房委會應調低新屋村租金。

HOS buyers stay away, fearing further price drop
31 October 2008
South China Morning Post

Sales of the latest batch of flats under the Home Ownership Scheme received a chilly response yesterday amid the financial crisis, with most buyers staying away, apparently fearing a further drop in property prices.

Analysts blamed the poor response on the Housing Authority's failure to adjust prices in light of drastic changes in the market in the past three months.

Only 74 people turned up at the authority's customer service centre in Lok Fu, although the authority had told 182 successful applicants to come and choose flats.

The 40 per cent attendance was well below the 70 per cent for the previous sale this year.

By the end of the day, 68 people had selected flats and paid deposits, the authority said.

The sale was part of the fourth phase of a sell-off of flats left over from the shelved subsidised-housing scheme, offering 3,221 flats in a wide range of sizes and designs in locations including Shau Kei Wan, Wong Tai Sin, Ma On Shan and Tin Shui Wai.

During the application period in September, the authority received 11,000 applications, which was less than half the response to the previous batch.

"The low response rate is within our expectations considering the impact of the financial tsunami," a spokesman for the authority said.

Property experts said prices that were too high, gloomy economic forecasts and a lack of confidence among the public were the main reasons for the unsatisfactory sales result.

Buggle Lau Ka-fai, chief analyst at Midland Realty, said the government usually set prices for the subsidised flats three to four months before sales.

"In fact, the market has undergone dramatic changes over the past few months, and the prices for private property estates have dropped around 10 to 20 per cent," said Mr Lau.

"However, the prices for HOS flats were not adjusted accordingly. That's why they are not as appealing to buyers as before."

Eddie Hui Chi-man, from the department of building and real estate at Polytechnic University, believed that many people, especially the low-income group, were becoming increasingly worried about their situation during the financial crisis.

"They have to think about how to pay the mortgage if they lose their job one day." He said this fear might become even more serious for buyers as the government had cancelled its buy-back policy years ago.

Under this policy, Home Ownership Scheme flat owners were allowed to sell their properties back to the government within two years of purchase.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said yesterday the government had no intention of resuming the Home Starter Loan Scheme to help first-time buyers.

"I don't think it is a good timing to resume this scheme, especially during the financial crisis," she said.

This scheme was launched in Hong Kong in 1998 to grant low-interest loans with a cap of HK$600,000 to those eligible.

By the time it closed in March 2002, a total of 23,735 families and 9,702 single people had benefited.

Some interest groups have suggested the scheme should be revived in the face of tightened lending by banks.

860夾屋餘貨 明年中擬照推
1 December 2008
香港經濟日報

近月樓市表現疲弱，但房協傾向如期在明年中推售餘下860個夾屋餘貨，現正等候政府答覆。消息指，若政府決定明年凍售居屋及夾屋餘貨，房協需承擔額外1,000萬元的差餉及維修保養支出，勢必加重機構財政負擔。

另外，新一期居屋餘貨嚴重滯銷，推售一個月以來僅售出三成六單位，近6成準買家放棄揀樓。有地產界人士指，政府應立即決定押後一年推售居屋及夾屋餘貨，否則會對低迷樓市造成更壞影響。

居屋餘貨滯銷 6成棄揀樓

面對金融海嘯衝擊，樓市持續萎縮，10月底推出的居屋餘貨3,221個單位，銷情極度冷淡。房屋署發言人回應查詢時表示，截至上周四共邀請4,104人出席揀樓，但結果只有1,686人到場，當中1,171人簽署買賣合約，佔單位總數三成六，以筲箕灣東濤苑銷情最理想。

雖然居屋餘貨銷情慘淡，但房協消息人士稱，仍然繼早前賣剩190多個夾屋餘貨單位，會和將軍澳疊翠軒645個單位一併在明年中推出，現時正等候政府回應。

當年入伙僅1年多便出現外牆嚴重剝落問題的疊翠軒，房協早前已完成維修及保養工程，因此不希望再押後出售，以免浪費有關開支。

消息人士解釋，夾屋餘貨每月涉及管理、保養和差餉等支出，平均每月每個單位需要1,000元，若政府真的凍結推售居屋和夾屋餘貨單位，房協1年便要多耗1,000萬元，形容絕不划算。

業界反對 免樓市雪上加霜

據悉，房協正面對頗大的財務壓力，因推行樓宇維修綜合計劃已要動用40億元；下年度轄下屋村改善計劃涉款亦達3億元；加上應付天水圍及北角丹拿山村舊址兩個長者屋項目建築支出及補地價費用，以及在投資方面錄得虧損，令房協需推售餘貨單位套現。

中原地產研究部聯席董事黃良昇表示，反對房協明年推售剩餘夾屋單位，指定價太高難以售出，定價太低亦會影響同區及同屋苑單位的樓價，促政府應盡快宣布明年停售資助房屋餘貨單位，避免令樓市雪上加霜。

is there a sample floor plan for the housing project?

牛頭角建天橋 須砍36棵樹
1 November 2008
星島日報

政府計畫在牛頭角下邨重建地皮，設置一條高架行人道，將九龍灣港鐵站與牛頭角市政大廈連接起來；為配合重建計畫，接駁高架行人道的兩條天橋工程須於明年六月展開，以趕及二○一二年二月完成，連同牛頭角第四街和第五街的道路改綫和其他渠務、水務及環境美化工程，局方估計總工程的建設費為一億三千多萬元。

接駁港鐵及市政大廈

根據運輸及房屋局遞交立法的文件，高架行人道將方便重建後的牛頭角上下邨居民，往來牛頭角市政大廈與九龍灣港鐵站，需要建造的兩條接駁行人天橋，一條長十米、寬六米，連接現有牛頭角市政大廈行人天橋；另一條長八十米、寬四米的有蓋接駁行人天橋，則連接現時通往九龍灣港鐵站的行人天橋。

局方預計，工地範圍內有一百三十二棵樹，其中廿七棵將會被保留，而剩餘的一百零五棵樹木中，三十六棵會被砍掉，另外的六十九棵會移植到工地範圍外，局方強調所需移走的樹木都並非珍貴樹木。而為減少建築廢物，局方會要求承建商盡可能再用惰性建築物廢料，如挖掘出的泥土等，及使用木材以外的物料搭建模板，估計工程將產生約五千六百公噸建築廢物。記者 周嘉莉

Choi Hung development by 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr95/kalvinkong/0086.jpg

居屋僅賣逾半 擬凍售半年; 錦豐苑天富苑重災 惟東濤苑售罄
23 December 2008
香港經濟日報

近月地產市道疲弱，新一期居屋銷售接近尾聲，僅售出逾半單位，馬鞍山及天水圍兩屋苑更成重災區。

據悉，為免進一步打擊樓市，政府正考慮明年上半年凍售居屋及夾屋近3,000個餘貨單位，最快亦要明年第三季才會推出。

10月底推出的居屋餘貨3,221個單位，其中最受歡迎的港島筲箕灣東濤苑二期641個單位，昨日已全數售罄；位於黃大仙的瓊軒苑344個單位，亦僅餘下一個單位。但馬鞍山錦豐苑及天水圍天富苑共有逾1,300個單位仍未售出，佔總數近四成半。

定價超二手 逾半棄揀樓

由於上述屋苑以十足市值的定價，比現時同區二手成交價更高，當局預料最終仍有大部分單位未能售出，而準買家放棄揀樓比率仍維持五成以上。

據了解，由於物業市場表現欠佳，居屋銷情亦未如理想，政府正研究明年押後推出原定分兩批銷售的4,130個居屋餘貨單位，初步考慮明年上半年不會出售。至明年中才再視乎市況發展，研究是否在第三季解凍，但絕不會一次過推出，故最後一批最快亦要在2010年上半年才推出。

夾屋亦凍售 地產界歡迎

消息人士又指，房協早前曾向政府提出，希望在明年中兩期居屋餘貨銷售的空檔時間，推出餘下860個夾屋餘貨，但當局初步回應指夾屋有必要暫時凍售，直至樓市表現轉好為止。

房委會發言人回應查詢時表示，會視乎今期居屋餘貨銷售反應，才決定明年兩期餘貨的時間，現階段未有任何具體安排。

中原地產研究部聯席董事黃良昇表示，歡迎政府考慮明年上半年暫停推售資助房屋餘貨單位，因在現時市況下只能賤價出售，且又會打擊私樓二手市場。

他透露，近月地產界人士已不斷游說政府官員，要求明年凍售居屋及夾屋餘貨，相信當局不敢逆市而行，令樓市雪上加霜。

I wonder how many apartments and people they can fit in one area. http://tinyurl.com/77tmp6/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/7xr8nv) http://tinyurl.com/8wx68a/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/962k9z)

I wonder how many apartments and people they can fit in one area. http://tinyurl.com/77tmp6/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/7xr8nv) http://tinyurl.com/8wx68a/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/962k9z)

An estate usually houses many buildings, so at least several thousand.

one building typically houses approx. 1.7k-2k residents.
one estate houses 15-20k residents easily.

the first few pictures looks so ugly, clothes holden on the window ...

Housing
30 December 2008
South China Morning Post

Only 59pc of HOS flats sell in latest sale

The Housing Authority has sold about 1,900 of the 3,221 Home Ownership Scheme flats marketed in the latest sale, which ended yesterday. The sales rate, 59 per cent recorded last Tuesday, is one of the lowest since 1997. The lowest was 54 per cent in 2002. About 33 per cent of applicants showed up to buy the flats, left over from the shelved subsidised-housing scheme, in Shau Kei Wan, Wong Tai Sin, Ma On Shan and Tin Shui Wai. Joyce Ng

You gotta love the crappy, yet non-crappy residential blocks in HK... at least they are renovating it. Those towers never look too safe to me.

The quality of the finishing is not spectacular, but they are able to withstand the storms and wear and tear for many decades. I don't think I've heard of a tower collapse due to shoddy workmanship, although a couple had to be torn down during construction due to foundation issues.

....although a couple had to be torn down during construction due to foundation issues.

Well... it wasn't a technical/engineering issue, but administration.
Everything was designed and met the standard.
The problem was caused by the corrupted head engineer approving shortened foundation piles for money "saving" which lead to number of unsafe structures.
The cost of fixing the problem was greater than rebuilding all buildings, that's why the building got torn down.

漁暉苑代房署白付千萬維修平台
7 January 2009

【太陽報專訊】居者有其屋計劃下首批居屋香港仔居屋屋苑漁暉苑最近大維修，業主立案法團翻查契約，始揭發屋苑平台原來屬房屋委員會所有，即屋苑小業主在過去二十年來一直為房委會保養維修平台，初步點算涉及款項逾千萬元。法團批評，事件揭發後已與房屋署開會十多次，但房署遲遲未退回有關款項。

漁暉苑業主立案法團司庫曾小姐說，屋苑在一九八○年入伙一直由房署管理，到○○年法團成立取回管理權，到○七年法團擬維修屋苑，管理公司翻查契約發現，平台業權屬於房委會。曾小姐表示，在一九八○至二○○○年來，平台的管理、維修、保養、電費等開支達千多萬元，還未計算利息，而單在二○○○年，房署便動用屋苑管理費基金三十萬元，更換平台的遊樂設施。她又說，事件揭發後，法團與房署開會十多次，房署雖承認有錯，但採取拖字訣，遲遲未還款，還說要有單據才肯賠錢，法團認為房署「卸膊」。房署發言人回應說，由於該平台位於屋苑中央，過去誤將平台的管理和維修費用，歸漁暉苑業主立案法團負責，去年大維修時，經房署及法團核實，始發現該部分平台屬於房屋委員會。發言人表示，當發現問題後，房署已積極和法團、管理公司商討解決方法，房署已知會法團提供有關平台的開支單據，待房署查證後，定當將款項撥還法團。

You gotta love the crappy, yet non-crappy residential blocks in HK... at least they are renovating it. Those towers never look too safe to me.

Even the former KWC has a low crime rate despite its gritty appearance. But true security in HK's public housing is better

漁暉苑代房署白付千萬維修平台
7 January 2009


Although the Home Ownership Scheme built complex are built by the Housing Authority and sold at a lower than market price, but these are still privately owned and maintained. Should they be included in the "Public Housing" thread?
Public housing is more a "rental" facility. Just a thought.

I'm defining public housing as Housing Authority-related, although there are several different tiers. I don't want to start another Housing Authority-related thread for different scheme types. There's not enough content to have them separately.

公屋擬引入 「設計與建造」合約
14 January 2009
香港經濟日報

為令日後公屋設計更多元化，房屋署正研究在啟德公屋計劃其中一期，引入「設計與建造」的合約，由承建商包攬整項工程，有關建議後日將交房委會建築小組決定。

無礙房署員工就業機會

消息人士指出，由承建商一手包辦建築項目的設計及興建工作，好處是可在設計上更多元化，而私營機構掌握物料價格變動的脈搏，也比公營機構更貼市，施工亦有更大彈性及能減省建造時間。

消息人士又稱，新的綜合採購模式不會影響房署建築分處人員的就業機會，因相關工程項目須有一定規模，不少公屋地盤未必適合，故才選擇啟德發展區為試點。有支持新模式的房委會委員更期望，倘居屋推倒重來，這些「私人參建公屋」可變為居屋出售。

富懷舊特色 兩跑道重現

此外，啟德公屋項目將會富有懷舊和歷史特色，如休憩地帶設計意念，會把舊啟德機場以前兩條跑道，重新展現出來。

啟德發展區公屋計劃將於2013年完工，但區內不少配套設施需要待數年後才落成。政府消息人士解釋，為方便公屋居民出入，當局會加建行人隧道及天橋，連接新蒲崗及彩虹等區，加強啟德發展區和附近區域聯繫。

^^^ Good!!! We have to much Lego in town.

柴 灣 村 重 建 項 目 by 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr95/kalvinkong/003-2.jpg

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr95/kalvinkong/002-3.jpg

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr95/kalvinkong/001-3.jpg

東涌豪宅區擬建公屋 測量師憂拖累地價
7 February 2009

【明報專訊】經濟不景加重公屋需求，房委會落實啟德等市區的公屋計劃後，下一步是在偏遠的東涌覓地，現建議在毗鄰豪宅映灣園、市值達35億元的全海景地皮，興建有3600個單位的屋邨，放棄原來的豪宅發展，預計在2015年落成。測量師陳超國指公屋計劃將拖累該豪宅區的樓價，從商業角度上實屬浪費。區議員則支持興建屋邨，但須有完善地區設施配合。

該幅海濱土地面積達3.3公頃，位於東涌北面的填海區，毗鄰映灣園和藍天海岸等豪宅。據了解，房屋署早於03年已建議在地皮上興建公屋，惟後來地政總署收回地皮並納入06年度的勾地表，供發展中高密度豪宅，地積比率為5倍，可建樓面約177萬平方呎。

設大片綠林 飽覽海景

據悉，房屋署認為覓地建公屋日益困難，加上公屋需求甚殷，擬將03年的公屋計劃重新上馬，此舉可即時創造近1000個職位。

房署與政府部門商討後，在去年3月將地皮剔出勾地表，為公屋計劃開「綠燈」。

房屋署本月中向離島區議會呈交新修訂的公屋發展計劃，房屋署提交文件建議興建4座47至49層高的大廈，提供3600個單位，容納10,300名居民。房屋署表示，邨內將設大片綠化園林，供市民在海濱休憩，另有逾2.3萬平方呎的商場和停車場。4座大廈中有3座可享受無敵海景，公屋居民也可飽覽媲美映灣園等豪宅的機場景色。

料2015年落成

現時該地皮仍未開發，房屋署稍後會與運輸署商討興建道路，除了有巴士和小巴接駁港鐵東涌站外，亦會沿馬路興建單車徑和單車停泊點，基層市民可踏單車來往車站，減少交通費。

整個計劃造價約20億元，房屋署預計2010年下半年可動工，2015年落成。

測量師陳超國表示，從社會角度看，房屋署建公屋無可厚非，但以商業角度看卻屬浪費。他稱，該地皮享有海景，市值高達35億元，並鄰近多個東涌豪宅和勾地表內其他住宅地皮，公屋計劃將使該區住宅地價下調逾5至10％。

區議員﹕有助加快建配套

離島區議員老廣成預料有豪宅區居民反對，但公屋有利整個社區發展，例如可為東涌引入足夠人口，令政府加快興建醫院和其他道路配套等。

明報記者 賴偉家

東涌５６區臨海靚地擬建公屋，庫房收入料減少２８億元
10 February 2009
經濟通新聞

於上兩個財政年度均列入勾地表的東涌第５６區的住宅用地，現計劃改作公屋發展，擬建四座４７至４９層高住宅，提供３６００個公屋單位，除令可列入勾地表內的臨海靚地減少，亦令政府庫房收入減少達２８﹒３３億元。

該地位於東涌第５６區，坐落於迎禧路，在映灣園東北面，佔地約３５﹒４１萬平方呎，將按５倍地積比發展，可建總樓面約１７７﹒０５萬平方呎，其中約２﹒２３萬平方呎為零售樓面，預計於２０１０年底動工。

Dodgy lift repairers face public blacklist
18 February 2009
Hong Kong Standard

A performance rating system showing demerit points of lift maintenance contractors will be established to help flat owners choose a contractor. The selection list is among measures to be introduced to enhance lift safety.

There were 36 lift failures last year, some involving the breaking of suspension cables and worn-out or defective parts. In the worst case last October, an empty lift plunged 14 floors to the ground at a public housing estate.

After the spate of incidents, the government made about 900 lift inspections. In 13 cases in five public housing estates, suspension cables were badly worn.

A government spokesman said three contractors were involved in the 13 cases: Kone Elevator (HK), Thyssenkrupp Elevator (HK) and Lighthouse Elevator Engineering.

Contractors are now required to carry out and log periodic maintenance.

Maintenance activities will have to be performed by at least two workers and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will carry out more surprise checks.

Contractors are also required to report serious lift incidents, which will be made public within 12 hours after confirmation.

The government will also provide a sample tender document for lift owners, and contractors are required to provide all-inclusive maintenance contracts.

To enhance building safety, the government has introduced a new regulation on building minor works which has been classified into three classes to be carried out by three types of contractor who need to meet government standards.

The public is also encouraged to appoint authorized contractors to certify existing minor household structures.

The Buildings Department carried out 32,847 unauthorized building works orders in private buildings last year.

房委會「徵用」惹爭議 勾地表蚊型地擬建公屋
12 March 2009
星島日報

地產市道淡靜，勾地表內的地皮無人問津，近年「求地若渴」的房委會，改向勾地表「打主意」，政府相關部門初步同意將大埔寶鄉街一幅「蚊型」住宅地剔出勾地表，改作公屋發展。但有地產界人士擔心，隨意在勾地表抽走地皮，會扼殺中小型發展商的生存空間。

記者：歐志軍

新一年度勾地表公布在即，料有土地會被「徵用」剔出勾地表。房署官員昨日向大埔區議會交代覓地興建公屋的進展，指大埔醫院後方用地雖獲得區會同意，但由於開發成本高昂，估計發展需時十一年。經研究後，認為可考慮揀選現時勾地表內的大埔寶鄉街地皮發展公屋。

根據勾地表資料，位於大埔市地段第一百六十六號的大埔寶鄉街地皮，屬於商住地皮，佔地僅約零點三公頃，房署計畫連同附近斜坡一併發展，令可供建屋的地皮面積增至約半公頃，僅能興建一幢公屋。

房署估計可提供約四百五十個單位，供二千人入住。大埔寶鄉街地皮於○四至○五年度列入勾地表，並曾於○七年一月獲發展商試勾，惟勾地價未達政府底價而遭拒。

中原地產研究部聯席董事黃良昇估計，該幅地皮呎價約為一千五百至二千元，若從勾地皮表剔出，庫房會少收二億至三億五千萬元。他認為，當局如果將已納入勾地表的土地隨意抽走，是出爾反爾，「現在沒有人勾，不代表將來無人勾；勾地表需要有一些小型土地存在，才能讓中小型發展有空間。」

業界轟扼殺生存空間

不過，身兼房委會建築小組成員的立法會議員劉秀成認為，勾地表內的土地未能勾出，證明在市場沒有需要，面對公屋土地供應漸見緊張，贊成將勾地表內長期乏人問津的土地改作公屋發展。

大埔區議會任啟邦亦認為，寶鄉街地皮在私人市場反正「無人吼」，用作興建公屋可以略為紓緩區內居民的住屋需要，但由於地盤太細，希望房署能考慮連同鄰近的社區中心和鄉事委員會兩幅用地一併發展，以擴大公屋發展規模。他又說，由於該幅用地只能新增數百個單位，區議會未來仍須再向房署爭取其他土地，始能滿足區內居民的長遠住屋需要。

四矚目地皮遭剔除
21 March 2009
信報

社會對於可發展用地的發展密度極為重視，令勾地表的地皮組合，無可避免受到影響。去年被譽為勾地表「地王」的上環信德中心毗鄰商業用地，因政府考慮降低用地的發展參數，暫時剔出勾地表。至於位於西半山的波老道住宅用地，則受區內用地涉及訴訟影響，最快可出售日期再順延一年，預計最快明年三月推出市場。

市值估計超過一百億元的上環中港道地皮，去年政府曾建議降低項目的地積比率和高限，並由於需要就新發展參數與區議會商討，最終與位於荃灣楊屋道的酒店用地雙雙暫時從勾地表剔除。

發展局局長林鄭月娥指出，位於何文田忠孝街八十一號的前何文田警察宿舍用地，當局評估後認為項目受到的噪音影響，將不適合作住宅用途，或會迎合居民要求作政府或機構等用途，詳細發展仍須研究，故該地與擬作公屋用途的大埔寶鄉街地皮，將永久剔除。

實際上，政府早前覆核多幅用地的發展密度，林鄭月娥指出，其中十五幅已降低密度，幅度介乎百分之八至逾五成；由於修改發展密度需要透過修改分區大綱圖等程序，林鄭月娥坦言，部分用地未必可即時供發展商試勾，惟強調當局會在有把握的情況下盡快推出地皮。至於粉嶺皇后山低密度住宅用地，亦因待進行空氣流通評估而未能推出。

縱觀六十一幅勾地表用地中，約十幅地皮最快出售日期為今年十二月至明年三月，其中位於西半山波老道二十一、二十三至二十五號的滾存住宅用地，最快明年三月方可推出發售。

林鄭月娥解釋，有關用地早前曾進行覆檢，包括加入高限和降低發展密度二成三，惟由於其所處的西半山分區大綱圖因區內另一幅用地牽涉訴訟，整幅大綱圖的審批程序需要暫停，從而使波老道用地遲遲未能推出。

資料顯示，用地原高限為二百五十米（主水平基準上．下同），城規會去年建議將高限降至二百一十至二百三十米，地積比率亦由逾六點五倍，降至五倍水平。

另外，同區的太古地產西摩道住宅用地發展，早前獲上訴庭判予勝訴，城規會發言人稱，尊重上訴法庭的判決，城規會在考慮判詞、法律意見後、地點的獨特規劃和對城規會運作和功能上的影響等因素後，一致決定不就案件向終審法院上訴■

聯合道某公屋項目 by fatshe from skyscrapers.cn :

http://api.photoshop.com/home_11e5fbb8309740b9aa8ad5872ce63dff/adobe-px-assets/162d055887194ab2b7216185fe52bf8c

Boost in spending planned for low-income public housing
12 March 2009
South China Morning Post

The central government plans to step up spending on public housing for low-income families as part of its drive to improve people's well-being.

Qi Ji, vice-minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said yesterday that 33 billion yuan (HK$37 billion) had been earmarked - almost five times last year's total - to build low-rent flats this year in an effort to address housing problems for 2.6 million families.

Beijing's outlay on the same sector was 6.8 billion yuan last year and 5.1 billion yuan in 2007.

"Last year we built 630,000 low-rent houses, a significant increase over the previous year. This year we plan to solve the housing difficulty of 2.6 million low-income families across the country, about 70 per cent of whom will move into houses provided by the government," Mr Qi said. "The other 30 per cent will get a subsidy for housing."

The announcement echoed Premier Wen Jiabao's pledge in his annual work report a week ago that Beijing would speed up implementation of policies and measures to promote low-income housing projects. It also reflected changes to the country's stimulus package outlined in the National Development and Reform Commission's draft plan for national economic and social development.

The commission has suggested spending less on big infrastructure projects and more on social development by trimming money for transport infrastructure construction projects from 1.8 trillion yuan to 1.5 trillion yuan and boosting allocations for health, education, culture and other social development from 40 billion yuan to 150 billion yuan. Spending on low-income housing has been increased to 120 billion yuan.

Guo Songhai, director of the real estate research centre under the Shandong Institute of Economics, said the increased spending was long overdue and reflected the central government's increased focus on improving well-being, especially for low-income families.

"Low-income families comprise around 20 per cent of the whole population, but low-rent housing and affordable housing was mainly just talk because it accounted for less than 10 per cent of the whole property supply from 2002 to 2007," Professor Guo said. "The great leap in spending shows the government really means to enforce the policy well this time."

Mr Qi said the houses would be no bigger than 50 square metres each and were meant for low-income urban families whose accommodation now amounted to less than 10 square metres per person.

About 10 million households across the country fell into this category in 2005, but by last year conditions had eased for 2.5 million households because of the low-rent housing programme and slum-reconstruction projects.

A further 2.29 million households received subsidies in that period, according to Mr Qi. He said that for those medium- and low-income families and fresh college and university graduates who did not meet the subsidy criteria or could not buy affordable housing, local governments were encouraged to develop public lease housing. This would gradually cover migrants.

Survey spurs call for more lifts at Link's malls
11 April 2009
South China Morning Post

The Link has been urged to install more lifts or escalators in its shopping malls after a political party's survey found six of them had neither facility and many others only had escalators that went in one direction.

"In some of them, shoppers need to carry heavy bags down stairs. It might be dangerous when the floor is slippery on rainy days," said a spokesman for the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, which did the survey.

The DAB checked the suitability for use by elderly shoppers of The Link Management's 102 shopping centres on public housing estates. Formerly government-owned, they were sold to The Link Real Estate Investment Trust in 2005.

Three malls in Tuen Mun - the Sam Shing, Siu Hei and Tai Hing commercial centres - Wong Tai Sin's Wang Fai and Tung Tau Estate shopping centres and the Chun Shek centre in Sha Tin had neither lifts nor escalators, the DAB found.

Of those with escalators, 15 per cent ran them either up or down but not in both directions. The party also found that a fifth of the shopping centres had no toilets for wheelchair users and a third did not have non-slip flooring at entrances.

"Many of the shopping centres we visited are close to public housing estates where a lot of elderly people are living. Unfortunately, the shortage of necessary facilities will cause them much inconvenience," the party's spokesman said. He urged the property management company to take the needs of the elderly into account and improve the shopping environment.

The Link runs 180 shopping centres, wet markets and car parks.

A spokesman for The Link said it had been upgrading the properties acquired from the Housing Authority since taking them over four years ago.

"Depending on the circumstances of the property, these enhancements may include improvements to passageways and installing lifts or escalators to add to the public's convenience," he said.

Blocks' height cut to avoid spoiling view of Lion Rock from Kai Tak
14 April 2009
South China Morning Post

The height of two planned public housing blocks in Wong Tai Sin is to be slashed to avoid spoiling the view of Lion Rock from the Kai Tak redevelopment and Hong Kong Island.

Planned at 48 floors, the two blocks of Tung Tau Estate phase nine will be reduced by as much as 41 metres, and built with a stepped effect ranging from 29 to 34 floors for one and 35 to 38 for the other.

At the highest point, the Housing Department project between Prince Edward Road East and Lok Sin Road is to be cut from 153 to 112 metres.

Chief structural engineer Chan Siu-tack said the change would offer a better view of the landmark.

"With the lowered estate buildings midway, people will be able to enjoy the beautiful silhouette of the mountain in full from any point of the Kai Tak view corridor," he said.

The government this year mapped out a three-stage development plan for the 320-hectare area in Kai Tak, which includes housing and commercial towers, a sports stadium, a cruise terminal, a park and a view corridor.

The Tung Tau Estate project, with a cost of HK$661 million, will comprise 1,333 flats, each ranging from 150 sq ft to 420 sq ft.

The blocks will be connected on the ground floors, which will be 6 metres high to allow for more sunlight and wind to enter.

A community complex centre will also be built next to the blocks, providing an auditorium, dressing and meeting rooms, and other facilities.

As there are five primary and secondary schools close to the construction site, Mr Chan said, the department had taken measures to reduce noise, such as erecting high panels around the site and inviting noise-proofing experts to offer advice.

房署3年再拆3石棉邨 40年屋邨待檢查 議員促公開全部名單
4月13日 星期一 05:05

【明報專訊】房屋署即將清拆裝有大量含石棉通花磚的牛頭角下邨，再度引起工會對清拆石棉安全問題的關注。房屋署進一步透露，未來3年要額外清拆3處「石棉樓」，除牛頭角下邨外，還包括蘇屋邨一期、東頭邨22座及九龍灣工廠大廈。另有若干40年樓齡屋邨仍殘存石棉構件有待全面檢查，但外界未有一份整全名單可作警惕。

立法會 房屋事務委員會主席王國興質疑房署 缺乏透明度，他稱近年落實的舊邨勘察計劃將延長部分「石棉樓」壽命，雖然保養良好的石棉構件不會影響居民健康，但署方有責任公開所有餘下未拆的含石棉樓宇名單，讓居民和互委會有所警惕。他對房署的維修石棉工程質素感滿意，相信公開名單不會為居民帶來恐慌。

坐落蘇屋邨東頭邨九龍灣

房屋署曾於80年代披露全港約有400幢公屋含有石棉，決定清拆部分有即時危險的構件，餘下則透過屋邨重建計劃取締，如樂富邨和李鄭屋邨等，今年清拆的牛頭角下邨（二）屬最後一期。

房屋署的40年樓齡屋邨勘察計劃及廠廈清拆計劃，進一步確認蘇屋邨一期10幢樓宇、東頭邨22座及九龍灣工廠大廈涉及結構安全和含有石棉，將在未來3年陸續清拆。

房屋署總結構工程師陳少德接受本報訪問時指出，當年房署已制定「三級制」處理石棉，當中有即時危險的石棉構件已即時清除，無即時危險的會外加保護層密封。危險性最低的則會保留，至建築物拆卸時才處理。

牛下待居民撤離後才清拆

陳少德以牛頭角下邨為例，清拆石棉程序會在所有居民遷離後才展開，工人將樓層逐一用膠布完全隔離，然後在出口安裝密封式的「三進除污室」，供工人進入清拆位置時穿著全套保護衣物，離開時則在內沐浴更衣才可離去。

他指出，工人要進一步以木板和膠布將通花磚作第二重隔離，然後在通花磚表面噴上滲透性溶液，才可減低石棉塵飄揚，最後人手逐塊通花磚鑿離，放入膠袋或貯存桶密封。他重申，承建商須在地盤周邊嚴格監察空氣，確保石棉塵無飄離工地，因此鄰近民居毋須憂慮清拆行動影響健康。

房署發言人補充，會定期檢查未清拆的含石棉屋邨，確保已密封及餘下石棉建築構件狀况良好，推行40年樓宇勘察時會再全面檢查。承建商翻新樓宇時，亦須留意工程不會影響石棉狀况。

明報記者 賴偉家

This surely lets us know how complex our lives have become .... !! :(

Housing Authority members seek more resources, greener methods
10 June 2009
South China Morning Post

Housing Authority members have urged the government to ensure an adequate supply of land for public-housing estates, prepare for challenges from the economic crisis and adopt a greener approach to building.

Members raised the concerns at the authority's annual special open meeting yesterday.

Anthony Cheung Bing-leung cast doubt on the government's pledge to place a three-year limit on the amount of time applicants must wait to secure public housing, saying the number of applicants seemed to have been on the rise over the past year.

In the first three months of this year, more than 9,700 people submitted applications, compared with 5,000, 8,000 and 10,000 respectively in the preceding three quarters, he said.

"It will be hard for the government to handle the increasing demand if it cannot secure more land" on which to build public housing estates, Professor Cheung said. The Housing Department said earlier it planned to build 15,000 public housing units over each of the coming five years.

Another member, Stephen Yip Moon-wah, was concerned about "biases" against public-housing construction. "Some private estate owners oppose building public-housing estates near where they live as they don't want to share public facilities, or worry of a paper loss in their properties' market price," said Mr Yip.

Michael Choi Ngai-min raised concerns about the financial challenges the authority might face during the economic downturn.

"It's predictable that the authority's investment revenue is likely to suffer a loss in the mid to long term because of the financial tsunami. However, the number of public-housing applicants may keep growing due to a high unemployment rate," he said.

"The authority must be prepared to deal with the challenge, as it may have to spend more on building public-housing estates while its revenue shrinks."

Some members also suggested the government adopt more "green ideas", such as increasing greenery on buildings' roofs, using environment-friendly building materials, and separating out trash on housing estates for recycling. The Housing Department will respond to members' concerns and inquiries at a meeting on July 17.

Several activists from the Grassroots Housing Rights Defence Alliance protested at the Housing Authority's office in Ho Man Tin yesterday, urging the authority to reveal the details of two tenants' revenue surveys it has conducted. The survey results will be used as a reference for the authority in its rent review next year.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said the surveys had been conducted in line with the Housing Ordinance and were transparent.

Cheaper, greener designs to be used for lifts
15 June 2009
South China Morning Post

Environmentally friendly designs and cost-saving building techniques will be used to install lifts in some of the city's oldest public-housing estates.

There are 35 blocks in 12 estates, most of them built in the 1960s and 1970s, that do not have lifts. The Housing Department plans to install lifts in all these buildings. It intends to use "precast lift shafts" and a "machine-room-less" design, which would cut costs, shorten the construction period and reduce the nuisance to residents.

Bik Shui House, a seven-floor block in Shui Pin Wai Estate, Yuen Long, will be the first to get lifts using the precast technique.

Leung Sai-chi, a district management head with the department, explained that the different parts of the steel shaft would be prefabricated and welded together at the site. Energy-saving and low-noise lifts would be installed in the shaft.

Compared with the traditional way of building a concrete shaft onsite, the new technique is expected to shorten the construction period from 22 to 11 months and save about HK$8 million each.

"There are some 200 families and 90 elderly residents living in the block. This creative technique can largely reduce the noise and minimise the nuisance," he said.

The lift will be designed so that a machine room will not be necessary. The machine room, found on the roof of most high-rise buildings, houses the traction machinery and control panels.

Mr Leung said the new design integrated these parts into the lift shaft so that a dedicated room was not needed.

The department first used the new design in Hing Wai House on the Tai Hing Estate, Tuen Mun.

Space urged for activities in public blocks
2 June 2009
South China Morning Post

A legislator has asked the Housing Authority to spare one or two floors in public-housing blocks for tenants to hold communal activities.

At a meeting yesterday of the Legislative Council housing panel, lawmakers asked for more creative building designs to enhance tenants' quality of life.

Legislator Frederick Fung Kin-kee said high-rise public blocks were too crowded and there should be more communal space in buildings for tenants' gatherings or other activities. "It is not unusual to see public blocks 40 to 50 storeys tall nowadays. There should not be a big problem to spare one or two floors for tenants to have gatherings. Or they can simply use the space to hang out their clothes to dry."

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng, who is also the Housing Authority chairwoman, expressed reservations about the idea. "We have to be very careful because there is a need for us to make the most use of the land."

Panel members also wanted improvements to new estate buildings' designs to be incorporated into older public blocks. But officials said it could be too costly and too difficult to do so.

Among new design initiatives is a twin-tank water system, aimed at addressing complaints about long suspension of water supplies during tank clean-ups. The extra tank will guarantee continuity of supply during cleaning or repairs on the other.

The new designs apply to new estates only. Legislators in general welcomed the move, but criticised the authority for overlooking existing tenants. Mr Fung said: "Old estates where most tenants are old people need the improvements the most."

Chai Wan Estate by 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

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柴灣村重建
By 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

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http://www.skyscrapers.cn/forum/attachments/20080217_644a12d99eb38007cca43LRynGh4yirD.jpg

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LCQ17: Waiting List for public rental housing
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, in the Legislative Council today (July 8):

Question:

Some organisations have relayed to me that members of the public currently encounter much difficulty in applying for and awaiting allocation of public rental housing (PRH) units. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the numbers of PRH units allocated to non-elderly one-person applicants by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) in each of the past three years;

(b) of the respective numbers of applicants on the PRH Waiting List (WL) at the end of each of the past three years and at present, broken down by their age groups (i.e. 18 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 or above) and, among them, the numbers of non-elderly one-person applicants;

(c) of the respective numbers of non-elderly one-person applicants on PRH WL at the end of each of the past three years and at present, broken down by their education levels (i.e. primary, junior secondary, senior secondary and matriculated, post secondary, bachelor's degree, master's degree or above);

(d) of the respective numbers of PRH units allocated to non-elderly one-person applicants in each of the past three years and the first half of this year, broken down by the waiting time concerned (i.e. less than one year, one to two years, from over two years to three years, over three years);

(e) of the numbers of single-person PRH units recovered by HA in each of the past three years;

(f) of the respective numbers of single-person PRH units the construction of which had been commenced and completed in each of the past three years; and the numbers of single-person PRH units which will be provided by HA in each of the coming five years;

(g) of the numbers of cases in which single-person applicants on PRH WL switched to applications for families in each of the past three years; and

(h) what justifications were used by HA when it set the criteria for determining the points scored by non-elderly one-person applicants under the points system?

Reply:

President,

The Housing Authority (HA) introduced the Quota and Points System for Non-elderly One-person Applicants (QPS) in September 2005 to rationalise and re-prioritise the allocation of public rental housing (PRH) to non-elderly one-person applicants. QPS was introduced to address the problem brought about by a dramatic upsurge in the number of non-elderly individuals applying for PRH on their own. The problem, if unchecked, would greatly undermine the HA's ability to provide housing assistance to families in greater need. Just like other Waiting List (WL) applicants, non-elderly one-person applicants may apply for the Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) and those with a pressing need for housing may also apply for compassionate rehousing through recommendations by the Social Welfare Department.

My reply to the eight parts of the question is as below:

(a) Over the past three years, the number of PRH flats allocated to non-elderly one-person applicants under the QPS were 1,323 units in 2006/07, 1,593 units in 2007/08 and 1,991 units in 2008/09. Besides, over 1,000 non-elderly one-person applicants were rehoused to PRH through the EFAS and compassionate rehousing per year over the past three years. Therefore, in the past three years, around a total of 3,000 non-elderly one-person applicants were rehoused to PRH per year.

(b) The age distribution of overall WL applicants and those under the QPS over the past three years and at present is as below (please refer to attachment table 1);

(c) According to the findings of the Survey on WL Applicants for PRH, the distribution of non-elderly one-person applicants in terms of education level over the past three years is as below (please refer to attachment table 2);

(d) The distribution of applicants under the QPS in terms of the waiting time from submission of applications to PRH allocation in the past three years and at present is as below (please refer to attachment table 3);

(e) & (f) The smallest PRH flats being constructed nowadays belong to the flat type of "1-2 person". At present, the HA does not build any units that are specifically designated for singletons only. Furthermore, apart from those Housing for Senior Citizen units which are no long under construction, the smallest units that the HA recovers are "1-2 person" flats. We are therefore unable to provide the requested information on "single-person PRH units" constructed and recovered by the HA per year. We will allocate the flats recovered to applicants/ households of appropriate sizes according to the allocation standard. Figures on flat allocation to one-person households in the past three years are provided for reference. In 2006/07, 27% of the total number of flats allocated were for one-person households. The respective figures for 2007/08 and 2008/09 were 27% and 23%.

(g) The number of one-person applicants switching to family applicants over the past three years were 5,400 cases in 2006/07, 3,200 cases in 2007/08 and 3,700 cases in 2008/09.

(h) The relative priorities for PRH allocation to applicants under the QPS are determined by the points they received. Points are assigned to the applicants on the basis of their age at the time of submitting the PRH applications, whether they are sitting PRH tenants and their waiting time. Three points would be assigned for applicants per age older when they submit the application. As PRH tenants are receiving public housing subsidies, they would be deducted 30 points. Besides, one additional point will be given for waiting on the WL for one more month.

Help urged for cage home dwellers
22 June 2009
South China Morning Post

A non-governmental organisation has collected 7,000 signatures from the public, urging Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to introduce measures to help residents in cage homes and cubicles in his next policy address.

The Society for Community Organisation (Soco) yesterday displayed a cage home on the open piazza of Times Square in Causeway Bay, to show passers-by its cramped living conditions. Some curious onlookers sat inside and took photographs of the three-level cage home, which had been taken from an old building in Tai Kok Tsui.

The group has interviewed about 100 residents of cage homes and cubicles in the past three months, and identified the 10 biggest problems they face. They include the danger posed by exposure to electrical wires, poor hygiene, a crowded living environment and frequent disputes among residents. Poor ventilation and high summer temperatures were particular threats to residents' health.

Sze Lai-shan, a community organiser for Soco, said it started the campaign in March and had collected about 7,000 signatures by yesterday. It hoped to gather several tens of thousands more by September and submit a petition to Mr Tsang before he delivered the policy address.

Soco urged the government to relax regulations, to allow residents of such dwellings to apply for public housing.

"Hong Kong is such an affluent society and the existence of cage homes demonstrates how wide the wealth gap is," Ms Sze said. "The government should set a timetable for eliminating cage homes. It should set a limit on the density and a cap on rents of these accommodations."

She criticised the HK$16.8 billion relief package announced by Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah last month for not mentioning these residents.

當局不排除東涌填海建公屋
7 July 2009
星島日報

房委會近年一直面對公屋「地荒」問題，為求發掘更多建屋土地，發展局常任秘書長楊立門表示，當局不排除填海建屋的可能性，但由於維港比較敏感，未來十年只會在新界物色適合地方填海。

發展局常任秘書長楊立門昨出席立法會一個委員會時表示，當局會物色更多土地，確保房屋有足夠供應，應付未來二十年的預計人口增長，但不能低估有關工作的困難度，因當局估算的房屋供應可能錯配，預留的土地最終未必興建公屋。

拓展署聘顧問研可行性

他又表示，物色土地興建公屋有困難，當局會用不同方法產生更多土地，確保有充足土地興建公屋，不排除會以填海方式提供所需土地，但由於維港比較敏感，未來十年只會在新界物色適合地方填海。

據了解，政府擬於東涌逸東邨對出再填海，提供新的公屋用地，紓緩公屋鬧地荒問題；而為了開拓新的土地資源，政府亦有意在東涌北部進行大規模填海，推行第三、四期發展計畫，並交由土木工程拓展署聘顧問公司研究其可行性。

多名議員昨日批評政府每年供應一萬多個公屋單位，興建量太慢。民主黨何俊仁認為，天水圍公屋太集中，引申其他社會問題，當局不應以拖低樓價為藉口，將公屋集中在遠離市區地方。民建聯陳鑑林關注到，興建公屋同時必須配合區內其他配套，以應付人口增加後的需要。記者 歐志軍

Karaoke coming to a public housing estate near you?

公屋商場開卡拉OK
2009年07月10日
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厚德商場的社署社會保障辦事處現址租作經營卡拉OK娛樂場所。

領匯轄下屋邨商場的經營手法再被批評偏離正軌。將軍澳厚德商場一個原租給社會福利署社會保障辦事處的舖位租約期滿後，領匯改租予會提供酒精類飲品的加州紅卡拉OK經營，惹起該區區議員及居民群起反對，懷疑領匯加租逼走社署部門，再出租舖位予娛樂場所增加收入。居民最擔心娛樂場所賣酒會令屋邨環境變得品流複雜，衍生醉酒鬧事，及其他治安問題。他們批評領匯只顧商業利益，沒有社會企業良心。

領匯擬將將軍澳厚德商場西翼二樓L201至202號舖租予加州紅，經營時段由早上十時至凌晨四時。上址現為社署社會保障辦事處，社署表示該辦事處將遷往尚德商場的新址，但社署及領匯均拒絕透露搬遷辦事處是否與加租有關。
毗鄰四屋苑強烈反對

西貢區議員凌文海表示，厚德邨、安寧花園、富寧花園、東港城等的互委會及業主立案法團都強烈反對，並向酒牌局提出有關意向。凌謂，居民不反對商場增設娛樂設施，但反對加州紅賣酒及經營至凌晨四時，擔心會惹來閒雜人等入邨及有人醉酒鬧事，破壞區內的淳樸民風。有居民擔心會令人流變得複雜，招引吸煙、飲酒及食丸仔的人士在邨內聚集。

加州紅發言人回覆本報查詢時表示，將軍澳有四十萬居民，不少是加州紅的會員，會員反映在區內沒有分店，要到區外唱K，半夜搭的士回家甚為不便，亦不安全，希望加州紅在區內開設分店。發言人指在商言商，加州紅與一般娛樂場所沒有分別，有自助餐及餐飲提供，可為一家大小提供娛樂，看不到領匯屋邨商場與其他商場有何不同。

發言人又表示，早前曾與該區居民代表及該區區議員會面，聽取意見，明白居民憂慮客人醉酒後離開商場的行為表現。她稱加州紅在營業時間上持開放態度，願與居民商討，她有信心可以取得牌照經營。

領匯沒有正面回應是否已將有關舖位出租開設卡拉OK，亦沒有回應現時轄下其他商場有否開設酒廊或卡拉OK，僅稱將軍澳厚德商場正朝着提供理想購物消閒好去處的方向提升服務，引入更多不同類型的商戶，讓居民有更多消費選擇。

元朗建公屋計劃現轉機
2009年07月18日(六)
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【本報訊】元朗洪水橋十三區公屋發展計劃及前凹頭政府宿舍地皮興建公屋計劃有轉機，元朗區議會最近向房屋署拋出新方案，若房署願意縮減前元朗邨現址興建公屋計劃，將公屋興建量由原來的一千五百個減至六百個，騰出該處大部分地皮興建政府大樓或商業設施，區議會願意放行洪水橋十三區及前凹頭政府宿舍地皮的公屋計劃，令有關建屋計劃可如期興建。

公屋鬧地荒問題嚴重，房署先後向元朗區議會提出在三幅地皮興建公屋，包括在前元朗邨舊址重建公屋、在洪水橋興建六千多個公屋單位及於前凹頭政府宿舍地皮建一千三百多個公屋，不過，元朗區議會強烈反對房署在前元朗邨舊址興建公屋，要求騰出有關地皮作酒店、商業發展，甚至作政府大樓，並揚言若房署堅持於該地皮興建公屋，區議會不會同意洪水橋及前凹頭政府宿舍建屋計劃，雙方僵持不下。
餘下地皮作商業發展

據了解，最近元朗區議會向房署拋出新方案，同意房署在前元朗邨舊址建公屋，但單位由原先一千五百多個大減至約六百個，即只建一幢公屋，地皮餘下面積則作商業發展，例如興建酒店。據悉，房署初步回應正面，雙方下星期會再作深入討論。

另外，為確保公屋申請人輪候三年上樓的承諾，房屋署署長陳鎮源表示，會爭取地皮建公屋時「經常面對多方面的挑戰」，會與其他政府部門及地區聯繫物色地皮，包括在規劃新發展區時預留土地，以及盡量保留清拆舊邨所得土地重建公屋，並會加強打擊濫用公屋，以加快單位流轉，確保可維持平均三年上樓承諾。

By fatshe - project in Lok Fu (Kowloon) :

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Shek Mun
Source : http://www.fotop.net/nohead

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Wow so pretty.

That Shek Mun development is quite good. It sits right next to the MTR station and it is not surrounded by a lot of other tall buildings. The down side is it's in an industrial area, but yet it's only a river away from City One.

The Link defends rent rises as more than 100 shopping centre tenants protest
30 July 2009
SCMP

The Link Management defended its policy on rent rises yesterday as more than 100 tenants in its shopping centres protested at charges they said were driving them out of business.

During the protest, organised by various retail groups and political parties, tenants chanted slogans and waved banners outside the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai where The Link was holding its annual general meeting.

After the meeting, Nicholas Sallnow-Smith, chairman of The Link Management, defended the company's strategy.

"On average, our rents are not going up tremendously fast," he said. "The Link team is dedicated to running the greatest business in Hong Kong that is constructively engaged in the local community in Hong Kong. Yet what I read in the press makes me feel you don't believe that. However, this is absolutely the case."

Chief executive Ian Robins said rents had increased by 25 per cent over the past three years - an annual rate of 8.3 per cent - which he described as "a responsible level".

The Link, a publicly listed real estate investment trust, took control of 180 shopping centres, fresh-food markets and car parks when the Housing Authority privatised the commercial spaces on public-housing estates and sold them to the company in 2005.

The Link has since implemented a series of major renovation projects in a strategy to attract more shoppers and boost profits. Rents have also gone up.

Mr Sallnow-Smith said: "If we want to be a successful business in Hong Kong, we have to be financially successful first ... then we can invest in assets, improve shopping centres and gradually improve the economy of the community."

The Link pledges to be a responsible employer, but many small retailers say they are under mounting pressure in dealing with rent rises amid a grim economy.

Lau Ma-hong, 52, who sells hardware on Lung Hang Estate in Sha Tin, said he struggled after The Link raised his monthly rent from HK$29,500 to HK$36,000 in 2007.

"Residents in our estate are getting old. Many families are receiving government financial assistance and the economy is not good, yet no matter what the market is like, The Link is set to charge us more," he said.

Pressure group The Link Watch, which joined the protest yesterday, said it surveyed 14 of The Link's shopping centres last month and found that 20 per cent of small traders had closed over the past year, and had largely been replaced by chain stores.

Fred Li Wah-ming, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said the management of The Link was ignorant of the needs of the community and only knew how to make "fast money".

He said the only way to give tenants a say was for the government to buy back control from The Link.

Last month, The Link announced a 13.75 per cent rise in earnings. It said distributable income for the year to March was HK$1.82 billion.

Mr Sallnow-Smith said The Link had earmarked HK$1.17 billion for 11 asset-enhancement projects in the next two years and HK$1.39 billion for another 11 from 2011 onwards.

STH visits Ching Ho Estate and Tin Ching Estate

The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, today (August 3) visited Ching Ho Estate in Sheung Shui and Tin Ching Estate in Tin Shui Wai to see the living environment of new public rental housing estates, which is well supported by community facilities.

Ching Ho Estate consists of eight domestic blocks, three of which were completed in 2006 while the remaining five in 2008. It provides about 7,200 flats of various sizes with community and recreational facilities. Vertical greening of the external walls and the green rooftop of the refuse collection point at the estate had achieved very good results.

There are currently over 6,500 households in the estate. Ms Cheng visited a nuclear family to better understand their daily life. The family rented a small private unit in Sham Shui Po before moving in Ching Ho Estate last year. They told the Secretary that they were satisfied with the much-improved living environment.

Ms Cheng then visited Tin Ching Estate in Tin Shui Wai. Tin Ching Estate comprises seven domestic blocks with about 6,200 flats. Four domestic blocks were completed in 2008 while the remaining three are to be completed at the end of 2009.

Ms Cheng dropped in on a Housing Advisory and Service Team and discussed briefly with team members. The team was set up in April 2008 to help new tenants adapt to the community. Services provided by the team, including orientation briefings, outreaching, offering professional advice or counseling to new tenants and conducting home visits, were well received by the tenants.

Community service will be further improved with the completion of a six-storey amenity and community building scheduled for end-2010. More social services will be provided to the community then.

There are currently over 3,700 households in the estate. Ms Cheng visited a young couple with a small child who have been living in Tin Ching Estate for about a year. They are happy to find the estate a self-contained community with all kinds of facilities they need.

During today's visit, Ms Cheng inspected vacant flats of different sizes in the two estates. She requested the Housing Department to make available sufficient units in Ching Ho Estate and Tin Ching Estate to residents to be affected by large-scale infrastructure projects for rehousing purpose.

Government Press Release
Ends/Monday, August 3, 2009

Housing officials block short cut used by residents for 20 years
24 August 2009
South China Morning Post

For more than 20 years, residents of two Ngau Tau Kok housing estates used a path formed by their own feet as a short cut to a nearby shopping centre. According to one resident, several hundred used it every day.

So four months ago the residents of Lok Wah North and the adjacent Lok Nga Court were shocked to find high metal barriers erected at each end of the track to stop them using it.

The Housing Department, which administers Lok Wah North estate, said it had decided the 100 metre path, which had never been an authorised access route, was too dangerous. It has refused to change its mind despite a 1,500-signature petition from residents.

"The residents have been using the path for 20 years without any serious accidents," Lok Nga Court resident Cheng Chung-pong said. "Some even put stone slabs there to make the path easier to walk along, so we do not think it is dangerous at all."

Residents now have to walk a circuitous route that takes about 15 minutes compared with what was once a five-minute stroll.

"The staircase is certainly safer than the footpath," Lok Nga Court resident Leung Chiu-wah said. "But the extra time and distance it takes is unwarranted and causes much inconvenience."

Kwun Tong district councillor Wong Wai-tag, who has been campaigning to have the route reopened, said the footpath was as old as Lok Wah North estate - which took in its first residents in 1985 - and its use had been tolerated since then.

A spokeswoman for the Housing Department said the slope had always been fenced off and signs warned people against using it.

"However, some residents just climbed over the fences and formed their own short cuts for their own convenience," she said. "Those paths are not proper access and are uneven. Some residents, even including elderly people, use the paths while carrying toddlers in one hand and several bags in another. This can be very dangerous."

Mr Cheng said residents could take a service lift up to the podium but often faced delays because it was used for loading and unloading goods for the estate shopping centre.

Mr Wong said he had collected 1,500 signatures from residents during his campaign but the department had been unmoved.

The department had also dismissed, for "geotechnical" reasons, any suggestion of building a new set of steps down the slope. But the department had now agreed to look into the feasibility of opening a path of about 30 metres between the lower floor of Lok Wah North and the concrete staircase. This was prompted by an approach from the management advisory committee that demanded the original path be closed.

In the meantime, however, the blockade remains.

Thankiossk Cool!

Opinion : Link Management providing housing estate tenants with better choices
2 August 2009
South China Morning Post

Although the shopping malls and car parks of The Link Management are no longer Housing Authority properties, in the eyes of The Link's very vocal critics, its decision to introduce more chain stores and, in some cases, to not renew contracts with some small tenants, is seen as an unforgivable sin.

The Link's decisions are being made in the public interest. As a major owner of shopping malls in Hong Kong, it should be accountable to the members of the community.

The needs of the communities these malls serve are of paramount importance and take precedence over the interests of selected tenants.

I am a user of malls run by The Link [a publicly listed real estate investment trust] and I would encourage it to continue with its policy of trying to provide shoppers with variety and greater choice. It is also good that prices have been kept competitive.

The overall tenant mix has been improved over the past few years because The Link selects those businesses that its customers want to see in the malls. The choices made have evolved with shoppers' changing consumption patterns.

Critics argue that The Link Management lacks transparency. You cannot go on to the Housing Authority's website and find out how it selects its tenant mix, so why should you expect to be able to do that on The Link's website? Criticism of the company has been unreasonable.

A few months ago, in Siu Sai Wan where I live, a shop selling Chinese hot buns opened and it has proved to be very popular with residents. That's not only because of its reasonable prices and good quality, but also its convenient location. Critics of this change of business said the stationery store that was there had to close, but this is not the case. It was relocated in the neighbourhood.

There is no reason why housing estate residents should only be served by small tenants.

We are now seeing a more balanced mix of tenants, big and small, new and old.

Fighting for the continuous operation of selected "small tenants", regardless of quality or performance, is acting against the interests of the rest of the community.

David Chan, Siu Sai Wan

Job protest dogs Link bid for hands-on role
2 September 2009
The Standard

Link REIT has moved to take a more hands-on role in managing all its shopping centers and pledged to ensure job stability for the 2,900-strong staff hired by contractors tasked with looking after the malls.

Deputy general manager David Chan Tsan- fai, in announcing the on-site management initiatives yesterday, said Link REIT will hire 230 staff over the next two months as part of a more hands-on drive.

Currently, the 2,900 staff are hired by nine contractors, whose agreements to provide property management, security, cleaning and maintenance services will be terminated at the end of next month.

However, Link REIT eased job fears, saying the 2,900 staff ``will be given a job.'' The services will be retendered out under 16 new contracts that will take effect on November 1.

``We decided to make the changes to enhance service quality. We believe that better communication with our tenants, customers and the community is key to taking our service to a higher standard and better align with good market practice,'' Chan said.

Link REIT will require the contractors to provide three eight-hour shifts for security guards. Their wages and those for cleaning workers will be no less than the industry's average.

But unions were unconvinced and protested outside the venue of the press conference yesterday.

Labor-sector legislator Ip Wai-ming said at least 60 employees have been laid off at Tseung Kwan O shopping centers. In July, Link REIT was accused of firing at least 37 staff, and others were later offered lower pay at some shopping centers and car parks.

That same month, the company made moves to lengthen security guards' shifts from eight to 12 hours, without raising their wages.

In addition, five car park security heads at public housing estates in Tuen Mun were told their salaries had been cut from HK$7,000 or more to HK$6,700, well below the HK$9,783 stated in a quarterly report by the Census and Statistics Department for a security head.

Link REIT has about 180 car parks and 11 million square feet of retail space in its portfolio of prpoerties that were formerly owned by the Housing Authority.

No wastage in lift modernisation project in Kai Yip Estate
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Government Press Release

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All lift cars procured for the lift modernisation project in Kai Yip Estate would fit in with the lift shafts and there was no question of wastage, a spokesman for Housing Department (HD) said today (September 17).

The lift modernisation project to replace the 27 lifts of six domestic blocks in Kai Yip Estate will be carried out in six phases. The project started in September last year and is scheduled for completion in 2011.

In response to media enquiries, the spokesman said that for technical reasons, the completion date of Phase I of the project, which involves five lifts at Kai Shing House, Kai Ning House and Kai Yin House, would be extended from end June to November this year.

For the same reason, the completion date of Phase II of the programme, which involves four lifts at Kai Cheung House and Kai Lok House, would be extended from end September to December this year.

The spokesman refuted allegations by news reports that the delay was caused by the purchase of new lift cars that did not fit in with the lift shafts.

"Lift openings will be added under the modernisation project. During inspection, it was found that the wall enclosing the lift shaft is built with reinforced concrete instead of bricks as shown in the old building record drawings. For safety reasons, it is necessary to check the structural aspect of the lift opening and submit the revised design for approval by the Independent Checking Unit of the department. This is the main cause of the delay," the spokesman explained.

The total project cost, which is estimated at $30 million, will remain unchanged.

The spokesman apologised to the affected tenants for the inconvenience caused by the delay, adding that the department would provide assistance to tenants with special needs.

Firm fined HK$5,000 over estate lift plunge
1 October 2009
South China Morning Post

The contractor responsible for maintaining a lift that plummeted 14 floors at a public housing estate was fined HK$5,000 yesterday after pleading guilty to failing to carry out repairs.

But the magistrate said the fine, the maximum that could be imposed under the law, was not big enough to reflect the gravity of the incident.

The lift dropped 14 floors to the ground minutes after its last passenger stepped out of it in Shin Nga House, on the Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po, on October 25 last year.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator (HK) was summonsed to Sha Tin Court yesterday for failing to carry out or supervise maintenance and repairs in accordance with the Lifts and Escalators (Safety) Ordinance.

A report said seven of the lift's eight cables had broken and the counterweight mechanism designed to prevent such a fall was seriously corroded. The safety mechanism slowed the lift but failed to stop it.

Court documents showed that ThyssenKrupp, which took over maintenance of the lift in August last year, inspected it on August 18 and pronounced it to be in safe working order. Two workers were sent to inspect the lift again eight hours before the fall after a resident complained of an abnormality in the lift. CCTV footage showed that the workers got into the lift and rode in it, but did not carry out an inspection. The lift had been in use for 22 years.

The company pleaded guilty to failing to carry out maintenance and repairs. A second charge of failing to supervise the carrying out of the maintenance and repair of the lift was dismissed when the prosecution offered no evidence.

In mitigation, the defence said the company had since installed new counterweight pulley bearings on lifts in six residential blocks on the estate. It had informed residents of the replacement to ease their worries.

Outside court, a company spokesman said the parts replacement involved 11 lifts of the same model that plunged. Their counterweight suspension system had also been enhanced.

The defence said the two workers who failed to comply with the company's procedures and instructions on carrying out inspections were experienced and could not explain why the incident had occurred. They had since been disciplined.

Passing sentence, Acting Principal Magistrate Li Wai-chi said it was lucky that no one was hurt.

He said the maximum fine of HK$5,000 was insufficient and the ordinance was outdated.

The magistrate also said the company should not have solely relied on reports by the two workers' for information about the condition of the lifts and should have conducted counter-checks to ensure the lifts were in good condition.

Public estates to benefit from greening panels
2 November 2009
South China Morning Post

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Housing officials are turning to nature to beat global warming and bring fresher air to public housing tenants - while defying the law of gravity - by growing grass and herbs on walls in housing estates.

The Housing Authority has spent HK$1 million on vertical greening on Yau Lai Estate, a public rental housing development in Kwun Tong.

Deputy director Ada Fung Yin-suen said the extra greening cost would not be recovered from tenants' management fees.

A study of the "vertical greening panels" on Yau Lai Estate Phase 4, completed this year, had demonstrated the benefits, Fung said. "An external wall mounted with plants can be cooled by 16 degrees Celsius," she said, adding that the temperature of the inside surface could stay at 26.5 degrees, or 1.5 to 3.5 degrees lower than those without vertical planting.

The department's senior architect, Clifford Cheng Chiu-yeung, said a 40 sq ft office could save 1.45 kilowatt-hours a day on air conditioning if its west-facing wall were screened. Fung said vertical greening panels used grass and herbs planted in a panel of rockwool, a kind of artificial mineral fibre. A few panels are then fitted into metal cladding that is hung on an external wall.

Chinese University biology professor Chu Lee-man, who participated in the Yau Lai Estate study, said the cooling effect could be better.

"In the [housing] unit where we conducted experiments, a flimsy door was fitted," he said. "In ordinary domestic units where more robust doors are used, and with different orientations, the cooling effect should be more significant."

Chu said a type of grass, Zoysia japonica, was tested during the study. Vertical greening panels cost between HK$5,000 and HK$6,000 per square metre.

They have also been installed on Kwai Chung Estate, Sheung Shui's Ching Ho Estate and Sau Mau Ping Estate.

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'So Uk Retrospect - Heritage Items and Photo Exhibition' Opens
(Thursday, 05 November 2009)
Housing Authority Press Release

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A vacant flat at Azalea House is redecorated with old furniture to mimic the living conditions in the old days.

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Guided tours led by former So Uk residents were arranged at the Opening Ceremony (31 Oct 2009) to share the fond memories of the old days.


Jointly presented by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Salvation Army's So Uk Estate Community Service Team, an exhibition of heritage items and photographs of So Uk Estate will be open every Saturday from this Saturday (7 November 2009) until the end of Jan 2010. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition and share the residents' fond memories of the beautiful, historic estate.

Two vacant shops at Azalea House in the estate have turned into exhibition galleries displaying old household items donated by former residents and photos taken by photographer Ducky Tse. A vacant flat at Azalea House has also been redecorated with old furniture to mimic the living conditions of So Uk residents in the old days.

On the first Saturday of each month during the exhibition period (i.e. November 7, December 5 and January 2), some former residents will share their interesting stories and the history of So Uk Estate, enabling visitors to learn more about the estate and its community bonds from different perspectives.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was held at Azalea House last Saturday (31 Oct 2009). Entitled 'So Uk Retrospect' and comprising an exhibition, guided tours and modern dance performance, the event attracted over 200 former and current residents as well as the younger generation to savour the exhilarating So Uk experience before its demolition.

The modern dance performance, 'Positioning', was a meaningful initiative brought by choreographer Rick Cheung, who has spent his childhood in the estate. Six vivacious dancers took So Uk Estate as the stage to act out the residents¡¦ fond memories of the old days and their aspirations for the future.

'So Uk Retrospect - Heritage Items and Photo Exhibition' will be open to the public on every Saturday from November 2009 to end of January 2010 (except 26 December 2009) between 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Admission is free.

High prices see more rich public households
Poor people lose out after HOS suspension
16 November 2009
South China Morning Post

The Housing Authority has seen 11,000 more "rich public housing households" since it suspended the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) in 2003, an increase of 60 per cent over the past six years.

A government housing adviser put the increase down to more better-off tenants being stuck in public rental flats since the scheme was suspended, because they could not afford to buy on the mass market.

However, other observers disagreed, saying richer tenants could afford to buy private homes if they wanted. This is one of the arguments in the debate on whether the HOS should be resumed.

The number of well-off tenants is one of the indicators the South China Morning Post has used to examine the impact of suspending the HOS. Other figures analysed are the average waiting time to get a public housing flat, the number of private rental households who are eligible to buy HOS flats, the number of HOS flats put on sale every year and fluctuations in the sales of low-end flats (which sell for less than HK$2 million) on the private market.

The latest Housing Authority statistics show that the number of better-off public housing households grew from 18,000 in June 2003 to 29,000 this June. Richer households are required to pay more rent because their household income exceeds that set by the means test.

In contrast, the total number of tenants rose by only 10 per cent, up from 610,000 to 670,000 households, during the same period.

The subsidised housing scheme was launched in the late 1970s to help green-form applicants (those living in public housing or those eligible for public housing) and white-form applicants (low-income families renting private apartments) buy flats.

The scheme was suspended at the end of 2002 when the government was trying to help the ailing property market. No new HOS flats were put on the market between 2003 and 2006. Leftover flats were released in 2007, 2008 and this year, with the remainder expected to sell next year.

"It's no wonder there are more well-off tenants stuck in public housing flats. They simply have no way out," Housing Authority member Fred Li Wah-ming said.

Li is one of the government housing advisers who, as well s some analysts, believe that suspending the HOS has had an effect on the public housing rental market because flats that should go to people in need are being occupied by richer tenants.

Observers are divided over whether the scheme should resume, with some saying it is inefficient in allocating public resources and others insisting it is needed as a tool to manipulate the housing market.

Currently, public housing tenants who have been renting a flat for 10 years or more are required to pay more if their monthly income is higher than the government-set limit. These households are identified as better-off tenants. For example, a four-person public housing household with a monthly income of between HK$31,601 and HK$47,400 must pay 50 per cent more rent. Those earning more than HK$47,400, and those who refuse to declare their income have to pay double rent.

"Suspending the HOS will slow down the circulation rate of public housing rental flats. Without the HOS, there is no incentive to encourage rich tenants to move out, " Li said.

But despite Li's remarks, official figures show that the average waiting time for a public housing flat has improved since the scheme was suspended. In 2002, the waiting time was 2.3 years, compared to 1.8 years last year.

The number of HOS flats has fluctuated dramatically, falling from nearly 30,000 flats in 1999 to less than 4,000 in 2002, when plunging property prices scared off buyers. More than 6,000 remaining HOS flats were put on the market in 2007 and last year, and there are 1,400 flats available for sale this year.

Demand, however, has remained stable over the years. According to the authority, the number of potential white-form applicants who are eligible to apply for HOS flats has remained fairly stable between 83,600 and 98,000 since 1999. The latest figures show that up to last month, there were 82,300 eligible households in the city.

Chau Kwong-wing, chair professor of real estate and construction at the University of Hong Kong, said the HOS was an inefficient way of providing low-income families with housing and that the mass market would provide more choice.

"Actually, HOS applicants have the funds to buy low-end flats of less than HK$2 million on the mass market. The government should spend taxpayers' money more on public housing flats to ensure accommodation for those who really need it," he said.

Wong Leung-sing, head of research at Centaline Property Agency, said suspending the HOS had helped the property market recover more quickly, but other factors also had to be considered. "I think the devaluation of the US dollar, which leads to a devaluation of the Hong Kong dollar, and an increase in commodity prices have determined the market's direction," he said.

Having studied the city's public housing policies for years, Wong Kwun, chairman of the Federation of Public Housing Estates, said we should look at the impact on people's lives when considering whether to resume the HOS.

He said the HOS allowed low-income families to move up the social ladder. "About the Home Ownership Scheme, it should not be a matter of yes or no, but a matter of more or less. The HOS will always be a useful means for people to move up the social ladder in Hong Kong ," he said.

LCQ3: Rental of shops and stalls under the HA
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Vincent Fang and an oral reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, in the Legislative Council today (December 2):

Question:

It has been learned that in recent years, The Link Management Limited ("The Link") has kept increasing substantially the rents of the shops in its shopping arcades and the stalls in its markets, resulting in many small business tenants who had operated for many years closing their business. Some of the small business tenants have indicated that they hope to continue to operate by renting the shops and stalls under the Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the rent levels and changes in rents as well as letting rates of the shops under HA in the past three years; whether HA will make reference to the practice of establishing the Business Opportunity Centre in 2003 and simplify the procedure for letting its shops and stalls, as well as give priority to the tenants of The Link in taking up the tenancies;

(b) given that a surveyor firm which has been appointed as the leasing adviser of the retail section of the development of Yau Tong Phase 4 is at the same time the sole leasing agent and valuer of some of the shopping arcades under The Link, whether the authorities have assessed if there is any conflict of interests in that situation; whether the adviser is responsible for determining the rents of the shops concerned; if so, how HA prevents the adviser from determining the rents according to the rent levels of the shopping arcades under The Link; and

(c) whether HA is still implementing its divestment strategy; if so, of the details; if not, whether HA plans to improve the operating environment in its existing shopping arcades and markets, so as to enhance their competitiveness?

Reply:

President,

Retail facilities (including markets) of the Housing Authority (HA) are normally let by tender for a fixed term of three years. It is the established policy of the HA that rents are adjusted according to the market level upon expiry of the existing tenancy. There are about 2,000 shops and 1,000 stalls under the HA. They are mainly situated in shopping arcades at 23 public housing estates, covering a total floor space of around 170,000 m2.

My reply to the three-part question is as follows:

(a) The HA maintains the rental of its commercial facilities at a reasonable level, taking into account factors such as comparable rental statistics, the physical characteristics of the premises, and the population and environmental changes of the public housing estates where the premises are located. Sitting tenants may express their views on the business environment and factors affecting the rent levels to facilitate the HA in assessing the renewal rents. The average renewal rent for commercial facilities was $270/m2, $274/m2 and $290/m2 as at the end of March in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively, showing a relatively stable trend. The letting rate of commercial facilities was 93%, 95% and 95% as at the end of March in 07, 08 and 09 respectively.

While the Business Opportunity Centre (BOC) set up by the HA in 2002 ceased operation in May 2005 following the HA's divestment of the majority of its commercial facilities, the HA has been actively providing interested parties with suitable venues for business operation. At present, around 100 vacant shops and stalls are available for leasing by commercial tenants through open tenders and simplified leasing modes introduced by the then BOC such as "Open Instant Tender" and "Walk-in Application on a First-come-first-serve Basis". Besides, the HA offers extra rent-free periods in letting out long-standing vacant shops and stalls to increase their attractiveness.

As the HA's commercial facilities are let by open tender, the public is welcome to take up the tenancies concerned. Interested parties can obtain updated information on the premises through the Housing Department's (HD) website, estate offices and the newspaper or by calling the HD.

(b) Assessment and determination of the rent levels of commercial facilities (including the Yau Tong Phase 4 development project, hereinafter referred to as "Yau Tong Phase 4") under the HA are carried out by the HD's in-house estate surveyors by making reference to various factors, including comparable rental statistics, the physical characteristics of the rental premises, and population and environmental changes of the concerned public housing estates. In appointing a surveying consultancy firm as the leasing adviser of Yau Tong Phase 4, the HA intends to draw in private sector experience in shopping centre design and trade mix, and to keep abreast of the latest trends in the retail market. This would facilitate operating Yau Tong Phase 4 in a market-led approach. This firm will only provide consultancy services in relation to the leasing mode, development strategy, overall design, marketing and publicity of Yau Tong Phase 4. It will not take part in rent fixing or represent the HA in contacting potential tenants directly. It is therefore unlikely that the appointment will give rise to any conflict of interest.

(c) At present, the HA has no plan to divest its properties further. It will continue to formulate conversion and improvement programmes for existing commercial facilities to meet customer needs. It will also organise more promotional activities to enhance the business environment in these venues.

A blast from the past :

Interest seen in public estate plan
1 December 1999
South China Morning Post

Redevelopment schemes for old public housing estates in urban areas are likely to arouse substantial public interest and debate as the Government seeks to bring in private-sector participation, according to industry players.

Last week, Housing Department officials floated the idea of encouraging the private sector to take part in the redevelopment of public housing projects.

One suggestion was to set up a mechanism for the Housing Authority to swap sites with private developers.

For example, the authority would give public housing sites to developers for private housing development in exchange for land owned by those developers.

Developers would be required to pay the difference in land value between the sites.

Another option was to sell public housing sites in prime areas to developers for private development. The authority could use the cash returns to build more public housing or increase the quota for home loans.

Government officials are also studying the possibility of a joint venture with developers for public housing redevelopment.

Property experts said the ideas should be welcomed and, if they went ahead, would allow for better use of land resources, particularly those in urban areas.

A senior executive of a property company said the proposals to have greater private-sector participation should be explored.

"It will provide long-term benefits to society as a whole if such schemes are successfully launched," he said.

Many old public housing estates were built 20 or 30 years ago and often were located in prime urban areas, he said.

Allowing private-sector participation or selling the sites to developers for private development could generate substantial land revenues and maximise their potential for use, he said.

"The cash to be generated from the disposal of an old public housing site in prime location may be enough to build 10 new public housing estates," the executive said.

"This will allow the best use of land resources to bring about the biggest economic benefits."

The Housing Authority is undertaking an intensive redevelopment programme of public housing estates built 20 years ago.

Some redeveloped projects are sold to qualified buyers as subsidised housing flats.

Studies are being conducted on the redevelopment of estates in areas such as Cheung Sha Wan, Shekkipmei, Ho Man Tin and Ngau Tau Kok.

The list for redevelopment includes Valley Road Estate, Cheung Sha Wan Estate, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Oi Man Estate and Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate.

These housing estates are located in central urban areas where large land lots are scarce.

Analysts said the release of public housing sites would open up opportunities for quality private developments in urban districts and should attract great interest from the private sector.

However, one teething problem could be the resettlement of affected residents living in those public housing estates, they said.

Redeveloping those sites into private housing would deprive the residents of their chance to be rehoused in the same area as it was almost impossible for the authority to find suitable, large sites on which to build replacement estates, analysts said.

It was likely that most displaced residents would have to be resettled and moved to public housing flats in more remote areas, possibly the New Territories.

While strong opposition is expected from public housing tenants and pressure groups, analysts and players say it is worth exploring the move so the best use can be made of land resources.

An executive of another property company said public housing sites in some prime locations were suitable for private development and developers would welcome land swap or land sale proposals.

Also, it was logical for the Housing Authority to sell some old housing sites to raise cash as it was likely to suffer a fall in income following the Government's decision to scale down the Home Ownership Scheme, he said.

The authority's main source of income is from sales of housing flats.

Hong Kong, city of immigrants, sees historical preservation in public housing
By Violet Law
Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
6 December 2009

Marcus Tam still remembers growing up in the Lower Ngau Tau Kok public housing complex, playing in a dingy apartment with "mice the size of cats." His family moved away once their lot improved.

But in recent months Mr. Tam and other Hong Kongers have flocked to the 40-year-old public housing project to take their final pictures before it is demolished. To them, the squat concrete buildings are testament to the grittier side of their famously glitzy city, where, amid the futuristic skyscrapers, nearly half the population still lives in some form of government-subsidized housing.

Many of the projects were built to house refugees fleeing famine and political turmoil in mainland China.

Today, the steady stream of visitors reflects the nostalgia driving a nascent movement to preserve Hong Kong's heritage. "This place is part of Hong Kong culture," says Tam.

In a city that is only 160 years old and home to Chinese, British, other Europeans, and South Asians, with the majority of residents either foreign-born or children of immigrants, defining heritage can be tricky. Landmarks like Ngau Tau Kok can help provide an anchor, says Margaret Brooke, who in 2006 cofounded Heritage Hong Kong, a nonprofit preservation group.

"It really is about collective, social memories. A lot of people have no family history in Hong Kong ... so they're looking for something to latch onto," like the old public housing projects, she says.

Repurposing old buildings

Thanks to the city's budding preservation movement, two blocks of the Mei Ho Mansion, another public housing complex, are being converted into a youth hostel by a local nonprofit, as part of a government initiative to attract investors to find new uses for historical buildings.

The Savannah College of Art and Design, in Georgia, recently won a bid to turn an old courthouse in the neighborhood of Kowloon into the school's first-ever satellite campus in China.

But residents here won't accept just any foreign design. At public hearings they resoundingly rejected a proposal by Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architects of the Bird's Nest, Beijing's Olympic Stadium, to stack an observation deck atop the Central Police Station. The station is the city's oldest and once held Sun Yat- sen, the founder of modern China.

That rejection didn't surprise Lee Ho-yin, director of the architectural conservation program at Hong Kong University. The preservation movement stems from the younger generation, many of whom prefer "local" flavor to "starchitects" from abroad, Dr. Lee says.

In a city that is used to seeing constant redevelopment, Lee continues, "preservation is also a way to regulate the pace of change in a society."

But Tam's visit to his old home is not about slowing change. "It's only human nature to retain the memories," he says.

Opinion : Government has the means but not will to eradicate cage hostels
16 December 2009
SCMP

As the season of goodwill approaches it would be timely for the government to consider the plight of the more than 100,000 of our fellow citizens who live in abject, third-world standard accommodation.

Challenging though this problem is for our government, surely it is not insurmountable.

Expressed as a proportion of the elderly living in public rental housing we now have some 22 per cent living in "bed spaces", or "cage dwellings" as they are more infamously known.

Emotive and sustained local research, along with international curiosity and shocking photographic coverage (BBC, CNN, Reuters to name three) of Hong Kong's bed space tenants has done little to coax the government to reduce their numbers.

Indeed, there is evidence to suggest there are today more cage dwellers than there has ever been. Sadly the sector now includes not only the elderly but as many as 10,000 children.

These Hong Kong people produce rental returns for their landlords of about four times the norm and well above the rent paid by public rental housing tenants - bed space tenants typically pay HK$1,000 to HK$1,500 per month while the current average public housing rent is HK$1,320.

Am I alone in believing that the resources, initiative and inherent caring qualities of Hong Kong people cannot eradicate this blight?

As long as this stigma exists Hong Kong can in no way consider itself a world-class city.

There will always be those who drop through the net in large cities but our leaders' complacency in addressing the problem is palpable, while enthusiasm for a prestige Housing Society project for the elderly at Tanner Road, which will produce 500 apartments in four years, is unbounded.

This is not good enough.

A government spokesman's response to CNN's coverage elicited the reply that "the government has always attached importance to meeting the needs of the grass roots, including housing needs. People choose to live in bed space apartments (that is, cage dwellings) because these apartments, apart from commanding a low rental, are mostly conveniently located in the urban area".

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng is responsible for all housing matters and also serves as chairwoman of the Housing Authority. Ms Cheng is assisted by the permanent secretary for transport and housing, who also assumes the office of director of housing and heads the Housing Department. The department has both policy and operational responsibilities for providing public rental housing and assessing eligibility for public housing assistance.

Ms Cheng is currently watching how the Real Estate Developers Association implements its revised guidelines on "various enhancement measures" for sales brochures and promotional materials of uncompleted residential properties.

It would be a more significant and exemplary move if she were to address this far more urgent issue that touches the fabric, soul and human dignity of our great city.

Tony Price, Tung Chung

Family facing eviction finger URA for lack of housing
31 December 2009
South China Morning Post

A family who have received their landlord's order to move out of their rented home in Sham Shui Po staged a protest yesterday, saying the Urban Renewal Authority failed to provide accommodation after announcing a redevelopment project on their site.

Io Chengpou and his wife Li Chunfang, tenants of a flat at 69 Shun Ning Road for seven years, were told to leave by their landlords, named Lam and Lau, who sought a court order to evict them. The couple live with their two daughters and pay about HK$2,000 a month for the 200 square foot flat.

They refused to leave and were supported by about 30 people, including other tenants. After hours of protest, court bailiffs called Io to say they were not coming.

Li said: "The problem is that the URA doesn't recognise our status as tenants. It is not that the landlord doesn't have a right to evict us."

She said she did not want the cash allowance provided by the authority, but a public housing unit - an offer available only to those who can live there until the URA starts acquiring the properties from owners.

The URA is waiting for the government's approval of the redevelopment, announced in June, in order to start property acquisition and hand out compensation. A survey done right after the announcement registered the names of owners and tenants, including the couple's.

However, as soon as the survey was done, the landlord asked the family to leave, giving one month's notice. This means they will not be eligible for the public housing offer.

Li said the authority had declined to accept their status as tenants and turned them away on three occasions. "URA knows there is a legal loophole, but it is not doing anything about it," she said.

A URA spokesman said it was in no legal position to arrange for public housing as the government had not approved the project. He said the tenancy records collected in the survey were for reference only.

The URA, however, has doubled the relocation allowance - meant for tenants who are asked to leave by the landlord before their tenancy expires - for about 10 residents, including the couple. The money is equal to 10 to 19 months of their rentals.

It is unknown why the landlord, who could not be reached for comment, wants to evict the tenants even though, according to the URA, the move will not benefit him financially.

Students and graduates in queue for public flats
1 February 2010
South China Morning Post

University students and new graduates in Hong Kong are joining the queue for public flats in increasing numbers.

Many think high property prices are the reason for this but analysis shows that it is probably not, and that deteriorating social conditions for young people are a contributory factor.

Housing Authority figures show the total number of single people aged under 30 waiting for public flats has increased by 60 per cent in the past four years, from 13,400 in 2006 to 21,300 applicants last year.

While the number of those from the so-called post-80s generation accounts for more than 40 per cent of all single applicants, interviews by the South China Morning Post found that some had applied before graduating from university.

Surveys by the authority last year found that 37 per cent of applicants in this age group had received post-secondary and tertiary education in contrast to the 20 per cent recorded in 2005.

Faced with criticism that well educated youngsters are competing for public resources along with the deprived, the authority introduced a quota system for single and non-elderly applicants in 2005. This limits the number of flats allocated to such applicants to 2,000, or about 8 per cent of the total number of flats allocated each year.

The system accepts only single applicants whose salaries are not higher than HK$7,789, including the 5 per cent contributed to the Mandatory Provident Fund. A points system was also devised in 2005 to give lower priority to younger applicants, with no points given to those aged 18 and three points given for every year of age above 18. Hence, those who are 19 receive three points while those who are 59 get 123 points. The higher the score, the faster applicants are given public flats.

Despite the government intervention, the number of new applicants aged under 30 was more than 4,000 last year - just 200 fewer than the 4,400 applicants registered in 2005. The authority did not disclose how many eventually obtained a flat, but the queue is lengthening.

"The unreasonably expensive flats have made our life difficult, especially those who want to move out and live their own life," Fredrick Fan Cheung-fung, external vice-president of the Chinese University student union said.

Fan, whose university friends are queuing for public flats, said his generation was facing intense competition when searching for jobs, with small pay rises and longer queues for promotion.

"We are living in a less favourable environment compared to the last generation. Why should we give our money to developers? Those criticising us for opting for public flats do not understand and do not respect our rights," he said.

Recognising the difficulties faced by the post-80s generation, experts studying the property market said the property boom was not the direct cause of young people's desire to secure public flats.

Quoting his study on the supply of flats sold or rented at low-to-medium prices, chair professor of the University of Hong Kong's department of real estate and construction Professor Chau Kwong-wing said flats renting for about HK$5,000 a month were freely available in the city.

"These flats are usually smaller than 700 square feet and most are located in the New Territories, which may not be appealing to the new generation," he said.

Chau is not opposed to students applying for public housing, but said the phenomenon was more of a social issue than a housing problem. "The youngsters are not secure. They can't see their future after graduation. Why not queue for public housing? It costs less," he said.

Analysis by the Centaline Property Agency shows the value of major estates has risen by about 40 per cent since 2005.

But the company's associate director, Wong Leung-sing, said households' ability to buy private flats had remained steady, with the amount of their monthly mortgage payments still accounting for about a third of their monthly income.

This was due to the drop in interest rates and also to small pay rises, Wong said. "The affordability index is still at a healthy level."

While property appears to be affordable to those whose median monthly income has increased by 5 per cent from 1997 to 2008, those aged between 15 and 19, and 20 and 24 have seen their salaries fall by 10 to 15 per cent in the same period.

Salaries in these two age groups have been lowered from HK$6,500 to HK$5,500 and HK$8,500 to HK$7,500, respectively, data from the Census and Statistics Department shows.

"I don't think public flats are their favourite choice," political scientist at Chinese University Ma Ngok said. "Perhaps we should ask why they have become poor. While wanting to be independent, they have to return government loans and face frequent layoffs and pay cuts."

He said the phenomenon was not purely a housing issue and if not addressed soon young people's frustration could lead to social unrest.

Dr Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, a former lawmaker and a lecturer in applied social sciences at Polytechnic University, said queuing for public flats was not an irresponsible act. "They just feel pessimistic about their future," he said.

Cheung said he expected the new generation to speak out more frequently on controversial issues and for their rights.

Greening grows on Hong Kong as some cool ideas take root
24 January 2010
SCMP

Hong Kong's public housing estates are going green. In recent years, the Housing Authority has been using its public housing estates as laboratories for the latest green technologies, a move that could help reduce Hong Kong's air pollution and encourage more sustainable building practices.

Some of the authority's latest efforts can be seen in Yau Lai Estate, a newly built housing estate in Yau Tong that opened last year.

Standing near the estate's main entrance are three green walls covered in a mix of grass and climbing plants. While the walls also serve a decorative purpose - the arrangement of red and green plants on one is based on a drawing of a fish made by Yau Tong schoolchildren - a study completed last November found that the greenery cooled temperatures on the walls' exterior surface by up to 16 degrees Celsius. Temperatures on their interior surface dropped by 1.5 to 3.5 degrees.

If the green walls are adopted on a widespread basis, they could significantly reduce housing estates' energy consumption by cutting air-conditioning costs, said the Housing Authority's chief architect, Clifford Cheng Chiu-yeung.

They would also help cool the outside ambient temperatures. That in turn would reduce Hong Kong's urban heat-island effect, which has been making summer weather even hotter and more unstable than normal. The walls are part of a collection of tools the Housing Authority is using to green its estates. Ten green roofs have been built over the past few years, mostly on low-rise structures within the housing estates, such as wet markets and rubbish depots.

Twenty per cent of each new housing estate land area is now required to be devoted to greenery, and the authority plants one tree for every 15 residents. "We've begun to rethink how we should build," said Ada Fung Yin-suen, the authority's deputy director of development and construction. "Slowly and gradually over the past 10 years, we've increased the greening ratio of our properties by planting more trees and gardens, but also by looking into things like green roofs."

Each green wall and green roof is a testing ground for different types of plants and maintenance techniques. Before planting, a root barrier and several drainage layers are built on the roof, followed by a lightweight soil mix. At Choi Ying Estate in Kowloon Bay, a layer of grass was laid on top of a shopping centre. In nearby Diamond Hill, Fu Shan Estate's wet market was covered by different-coloured species of sedums - a small, water-retaining shrub - arranged in the pattern of a fish, a design meant to symbolise prosperity.

Hong Kong's long, hot summers limit the number of plants that can be used. According to Evans Iu Po-lung, the Housing Authority's chief landscape architect, only three of 50 species of sedums can survive here.

In one experiment at Ching Ho Estate in Sheung Shui, a green roof covered in sedums was not watered for three months in an experiment meant to test the plants' durability. More than 70 per cent died.

"Originally, we used some decorative plants in our greening projects, but we were criticised by ecologists, so we're exploring more native species," said Iu. One local species of wedelia, a creeping plant, was rejected for use on roofs and the ground because it attracted rats, but it has proven effective for vertical greening.

The Housing Authority's willingness to experiment has been a boon for local developers of green building technologies. The walls at Yau Lai Estate make use of a newly patented green panel technology developed by Strongly International. Having a high-profile public body like the Housing Authority as a client has helped the company demonstrate that its technology is feasible, said its technical director, Jaime Yeung.

Strongly's products use a soil substitute made from a mixture of organic materials such as bark and recycled paper. It weighs 90 per cent less than natural soil, and does not settle and harden when wet. For a green wall, the soil is placed in small plastic pots that are plugged into brackets on a steel frame. About 30 different plants can be used, depending on wind conditions, the local microclimate and how much maintenance a client is willing to perform, said Yeung.

Strongly's own studies have shown that a green wall can reduce interior temperatures by as much as 8 degrees, he said. But it is harder to estimate how much of an impact a green roof or green wall has on the city's wider environment.

"The heat-island effect in Hong Kong is more severe than in other parts of the world because it's very congested and the ventilation is poor because of all the high-rises," he said. "But the impact depends on the density of installations. If you only have a 10-square-metre wall in an area like Mong Kok, it won't make much difference. It really depends on government policy to make it more commonplace."

The problem is that green-panel technology is expensive to implement and maintain. A green wall that Strongly developed for Sau Mau Ping Estate in Kwun Tong cost HK$6,000 per square metre to build. Annual maintenance can cost 3 to 8 per cent of the wall's initial construction cost.

For the Housing Authority, which draws most of its revenue from rental income, the expense of building green walls and green roofs means that only a handful of projects can be completed each year. "We want to green everything possible, but we can't do it extensively unless costs come down," said Fung.

Jim Chi-yung, a professor of geography at the University of Hong Kong, is currently performing a vertical greening experiment on the roof of the university's main library. "Very few people are willing to invest millions of dollars to green a wall," he said. "Some developers are trying to put flower pots on walls, basically. We should make use of nature's climbers without having to put soil on the walls. Otherwise the methods used are so expensive."

Another problem is public awareness. Hong Kong has been slow to embrace green technologies, said Iu, because many people in Hong Kong still are not aware of the city's environmental challenges. In one estate, he said, residents who were allergic to pollen from native cottonwood trees asked the Housing Authority to chop the trees down; it refused.

"Most people brought up in such an urban environment have no knowledge of nature," he said.

"Many people are scared of caterpillars, without realising they are harmless, for example. We need to change the mentality of people towards greening if we want to go forward. The most critical thing is to get our residents to accept and agree with what we're trying to do."

For that reason, the Housing Authority is investing in so-called environmental "software" to complement hardware like green roofs. Last year, it invited tenants to grow their own plants in estate gardens.

Back at Yau Lai Estate, the green walls have been well received. Oscar Wong, 19, was walking to the MTR when he stopped to gaze at one of them. "I think it's good for the environment," he said. "In Hong Kong the air is very polluted, and maybe this can help make it cleaner."

Housing Society to sell more than 400 flats in Tseung Kwan O
4 February 2010
South China Morning Post

The Housing Society is going to put on sale 464 "sandwich-class" flats in Tseung Kwan O next month for families and single people.

The flats are all at The Pinnacle, a housing estate completed in 1997 under the society's sandwich class housing scheme. Sizes range from 568 square feet to 827 square feet.

"We are prudent and confident about the market because the Home Ownership Scheme flats that went on sale recently were popular," Wong Kit-loong, its chief executive and executive director, said. Wong said the flats should cost no more than HK$3 million each. He said the society would refer to second-hand flats in Tseung Kwan O and at The Pinnacle, where selling prices hovered between HK$3,400 and HK$3,600 per square foot last month.

It has been almost two years since the society put flats on the market. It released 438 new flats in three estates in mid-2008, giving a discount of 18 per cent compared with second-hand properties in the same areas.

Surveyor Pang Siu-kei said second-hand properties in Tseung Kwan O now ranged from HK$3,200 to HK$3,700 per square foot. Applying the earlier discount, the sandwich-class flats should be cheaper than those in that range.

Pang said the closeness of The Pinnacle to Tseung Kwan O MTR station was an advantage, but the downside was the flats, although unoccupied, were at least a decade old.

Families with monthly household incomes of between HK$23,001 and HK$39,000 and assets below HK$1.2 million will be given priority in applying for the flats.

Single people earning less than HK$19,500 a month and owning assets of less than HK$600,000 can also apply. Applications open on March 3.

Tenants may face small rent rise in public flats
4 February 2010
South China Morning Post

Public housing tenants may have to pay higher rents this summer - if their household income was HK$13 a month higher last year than in 2007.

A government survey shows the mean household income of public housing tenants was HK$13,233 a month in 2007. If the mean changed by 0.1 per cent last year, a rent review mechanism will be triggered.

The income-based rent adjustment mechanism, introduced in 2007, ensures public housing rent changes in line with the household income of tenants.

The Housing Authority conducts a rent review every two years. If the income index for the second period is higher or lower than that for the first period, the authority will change the rent according to the rate. If the change in income is less than 0.1 per cent, the rent will stay the same.

In a 2007 survey on household income of public rental housing tenants, mean household income was found to be HK$13,233. So under the formula, if tenants' income changed by HK$13.20 a month last year, the rent would be adjusted this year, a government source familiar with the mechanism said yesterday.

A total of 24,000 households were sampled. The biggest category was four-person families, and their mean household income was HK$16,568. One-person households, the smallest group, had a monthly income of HK$3,883.

The 2009 statistics will be ready by the middle of the year.

The Census and Statistics Department said 52 per cent of companies reported a drop in average wage rates in September last year compared with a year earlier and 41 per cent recorded an increase.

Ho Wai-man, executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Public Housing Estates Resident and Shopowner Organisations, believed rents would rise because public housing tenants earned more last year than in 2007. "One piece of evidence is that the number of tenants under the Rent Assistance Scheme - which offers up to 50 per cent in rent reductions for families with low household income - is lower last year than in 2007-08," Ho said. "This shows that they have a higher income."

Ho said the employment rate for grass-roots workers had increased from 2007. But the rate of salary increases was far behind inflation.

Economists doubt the rent adjustment mechanism will be triggered.

"Their salary level has not changed much," Raymond So Wai-man, an associate professor in Chinese University's finance department, said.

Dr Li Kui-wai, associate professor at City University's economics and finance department, said the jobless rate for lower-income earners improved last year because the government launched various projects. But he said pay had not been increased.

On the street: mixed reviews for budget initiatives
25 February 2010
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

HONG KONG: On the streets of Hong Kong people are saying the HK$20.4 billion worth of relief measures introduced by the government is generous, but they think the government should consider giving assistance to groups rather than the grass roots.

Delivering his third annual budget speech in the Legislative Council yesterday, Financial Secretary John Tsang acknowledged the burden people face due to emerging inflationary pressure, while they have not yet started to enjoy the benefits of returning prosperity. To address the outcry for short-term relief measures, the administration proposed a series of one-off measures to alleviate burdens on people.

Public housing tenants will enjoy a rent exemption for two months. Mrs Tang, 56, who lives in public housing welcomes the two months of rent free living introduced in the budget. "I would consider buying a new sofa with the extra money," she said.

The HK$20.4 billion relief measures will undoubtedly assist the grass roots to meet pressing needs, however, citizens sandwiched between the grass roots and the middle class do not feel they are the actual beneficiaries.

Ms Hung, a mother of two children, criticized the measures intended to provide greater opportunities for children of needy families receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA). "My husband earns around HK$20,000 a month and thus is not eligible to apply for CSSA. The HK$1,000 allowance and HK$1,300 subsidy for Internet access charges do not do any good for my kids," she noted.

Mr Yeung, a 54-year-old IT manager with an income of HK$80,000 a month, feels the budget is only a rehash and lacks new initiatives. "The budget ignores the middle-income group. We are afraid of losing jobs, but the government has not given thought to implement any unemployment measures," he observed.

Even though some people are dissatisfied with the relief measures, Shirley Hung, assistant professor of Social Work at the Hong Kong Baptist University, believes the government, to a certain extent, has taken people's opinions into account on ways to distribute assistance to the needy.

"For years, NGOs have urged the government to provide subsidies for Internet access charges for the poor families and finally the secretary accepted it," Hung said. However, the government should keep track of the operations of the private service providers. If not, the subsidies could become a target for companies to make profits," she added.

The relief measures have not actually benefited the working poor group - people who are not living in the public housing and do not need to pay salaries tax as well as rates, Hung said. "These people live in decades-old buildings and earn chicken-feed and are not eligible to apply for public housing."

"The main reason for their poverty is lack of suitable jobs for these low-skilled, middle-aged people. As the government is promoting a knowledge-based economy, the administration should enhance training for them to adapt to the ever-changing environment. These value-added measures will ultimately ease the burden of government to provide more allowances," Hung suggested.

"We are hoping the government will legislate a minimum wage as soon as possible and at the same time, study the means to improve living standards of the working poor in the next budget," Hung said.

Home buyers inspect 'sandwich class' flats
3 March 2010
SCMP

Over 30 people went to inspect the 464 remaining units at The Pinnacle in Tseung Kwan O on Wednesday morning, local media reported.

The Pinnacle is a housing estate completed in 1997 under the Housing Society's "sandwich class" housing scheme. The development is located close to the Tseung Kwan O MTR station. The term sandwich class refers to middle-income families.

The Tseung Kwan O units available for sale are located in Block 2 to 4 and their sizes range from 568 to 827 square feet. Sale prices vary from HK$1,300,000 to HK$2,800,000 ? with an average price of about HK$3,000 per square foot.

A number of people visiting the flats on Wednesday told local media prices there were reasonable compared to other flats in the district.

One man said: ?The prices of these flats more acceptable.?

Another man, who has lived in Tseung Kwan O for over 10 years, said he liked the location and quality of the flats. ?I hope I can buy one of these units,? he added.

To be eligible to apply for the flats, families should have a monthly household income of between HK$23,000 and HK$39,000 and assets not exceeding HK$1.2 million. They should also not own residential property in Hong Kong within two years before applying for the flats.

Public housing tenants and single people can also apply for the current batch of sandwich-class flats.

The Housing Society will provide guarantees for buyers to obtain mortgages up to 90 per cent of the property price from banks and recognised financial institutions.

The show flats will be open for visitors from 10am to 6pm during the application period from March 3 to 22.

Many Hong Kong people are anxious to buy flats, but believe property prices in the city are too high. Home prices in Hong Kong rose 30 per cent in 2009, according to recent data from Centaline Property Agency,

Tseung Kwan O is near the New Territories and is a new town popular with middle class people.

For more information, visit the Housing Society at www.hkhs.com

Bankers join call for more cheap flats
More back relaunch of HOS to aid buyers
9 March 2010
South China Morning Post

More business leaders, including property tycoons, have joined a call for the government to resume building Home Ownership Scheme flats and provide more housing to help prospective homeowners.

"Looking at the income of the younger generation in Hong Kong, it's impossible for them to purchase a property," Vincent Cheng Hoi-chuen, chairman of HSBC Bank (China), said yesterday. "If the government does not do something, society may be divided and public discontentment will rise."

Cheng said relaunching the sale of government-subsidised HOS flats could help low-income families onto the property ladder. The government should also increase housing supply for higher-income groups, particularly the middle-class, he said.

Hang Seng Bank chief executive Margaret Leung Ko May-yee agreed there was an insufficient housing supply and the government should make available more property, ranging from HOS to private flats. She said the housing market and the economy would benefit from a long-term plan.

Their comments came a day after a surprise call from New World Development managing director Henry Cheng Kar-shun for more HOS flats amid rising property prices.

Vincent Lo Hong-shui, chairman of building materials and construction firm Shui On Group, also supported the idea. But he said the number of HOS flats should be restricted because too many could cause a property market collapse.

"I think property prices are a bit overpriced now. Of course, it may not be the problem of the developers. There is insufficient land supply as well," the property tycoon said.

The group's subsidiary, Shui On Building Contractors, has built a lot of public housing and is approved by the Housing Authority to tender for certain design-and-build and complex projects.

Executive Council convenor Leung Chun-ying said the government would closely monitor the property market, as well as the public's demand and purchasing power. "As for when and whether to build HOS flats again, I believe the government would closely monitor the situation and make an announcement at a suitable time," Leung said.

A Housing Department spokesman yesterday echoed Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah's remarks two weeks ago. He said it was a prudent and important decision to scrap the HOS scheme and it would not re-enter the market easily.

The government stopped building and selling HOS flats in 2002 amid pressure from private developers. Five years later, the Housing Authority started selling some 16,600 surplus HOS flats in phases. Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, chairman of the authority's subsidised housing committee, said in a television interview that it would discuss this month whether it would put the remaining 4,000 HOS flats on sale this year.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Federation of Trade Unions welcomed Cheng's call. "We'll strengthen this opinion," DAB lawmaker Ip Kwok-him said.

The DAB suggested the number of new HOS flats put up for sale be capped at 1,000 a year, while the FTU suggested 5,000 to 6,000.

But Liberal Party chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee said the government should not take too many steps at a time, citing measures announced last month including an increase in irregular land sales and a requirement for developers to build small and medium-size flats on certain lots.

Property tycoon in surprise call for return of HOS
8 March 2010
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong property tycoon Henry Cheng Kar-shun has called for the relaunch of a government-subsidised flat sale scheme that he and fellow private developers had once pressed hard to have abolished.

Cheng, a member of China's top political advisory body, now says the resumption of the home ownership scheme (HOS) could help ease public discontent in Hong Kong amid a heated property market.

The subsidised housing scheme, under which lower-priced flats are built for sale to the less well-off, was scrapped in 2002 by the government amid pressure from private developers, who criticised the scheme as an intervention in the free market.

Cheng's remark yesterday also contrasted sharply with the position of the Hong Kong government.

Just last month, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said the government "would not lightly return to the market", when asked if he would consider relaunching HOS.

Cheng, managing director of New World Development, said: "From the perspective of a developer, certainly I would not agree [with relaunching HOS]."

"But from the perspective of the whole society, I think the government should resume building HOS flats. These flats take care of the needs of middle-income families who may not afford to own their own homes.

"While low-income families can rent public housing, middle-income families should also be taken care of. This group of people now have big discontent with the society."

Cheng, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee, said: "Why are there so many protests? Why are so many people unhappy with the government? It is because many people cannot enjoy a good living environment and they find many hardships in making a living."

Cheng was speaking on the sidelines of the plenary session of the consultative conference in Beijing.

Cheng appreciated the possible adverse impact of his proposal on the property market in Hong Kong but said this could be minimised by imposing tighter regulations on the resale of HOS units.

At present, HOS flat owners are subject to a set of restrictions when they want to resell their units.

In general, they can resell the units to public estate tenants after the first three years, with no need to pay premium to the government.

Cheng also dismissed as "just a show" a government proposal to cool the property market by means of a moderate increase of stamp duty on transactions of luxury properties, hinting it would have no effect.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, some speakers at the RTHK City Forum yesterday remained cautious about relaunching HOS.

Wong Leung-sing, an associate director of research at Centaline Property Agency, said: "The heated market is partly due to the low bank rate {hellip} People look for investment opportunities but do not want to try again in the financial markets {hellip} many investors turn to buying flats. Building more HOS flats may not be addressing the right question."

HOS flats tipped for quick sale
The Standard
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Housing Authority will maintain the income threshold and allocation system for 4,000 Home Ownership Scheme flats.

The current threshold for a family of two or more is HK$23,000 per month, with assets limited to HK$660,000.

"HOS homes do not interest the entire property market," said Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, chairman of the authority's subsidized housing committee and an Executive Council member. "They target low earners."

Eighty percent of the flats - mainly in Tin Shui Wai and Yau Tong - will go to green form applicants, who mostly live in public rental housing.

"In principle, we will stick to past practices, since HOS homes were designed for green form applicants," Cheung said.

He expects more public rental flats to be available for low-income earners on the waiting list. But he warned the public not to expect many HOS homes on the market, since current owners will have to pay land premiums before selling.

Henderson Land (0012) chairman Lee Shau- kee said selling HOS flats in one go may help solve the current shortage of homes.

"Completed properties seldom remain unsold after one or two years," Lee said.

"Sold continuously, all units will be gone within a year or less."

The Housing Society began accepting applications for the remaining 374 sandwich-class homes yesterday.

Many hopefuls applied to view The Cascades in Ho Man Tin, which will admit 1,000 viewers daily between March 23 and April 7.

The 32 two-bedroom flats roughly measure 680 square feet, and will be sold at an average of HK$3,700 per square foot.

Land supply, HOS flats to be boosted
The Standard
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Official measures to increase the supply of both land and homes are in the offing.

While discussion with the Housing Authority over measures to revitalize the secondary Home Ownership Scheme market will not start until May, the public body will soon assume the role of mortgage guarantor for potential homeowners, a source told Sing Tao Daily, sister publication of The Standard. After this, banks are likely to feel safe to render loans to HOS homebuyers, who in turn will settle land premium through monthly installments, the source said.

All 4,000 remaining HOS flats - mainly in Tin Shui Wai and Yau Tong - may be put on the market at one time by the Housing Authority as early as June, said housing chief Eva Cheng Yu-wah.

In the past, up to 80 percent of such flats went to those who were renting public housing and 20 percent who were not. Cheng has said the ratio could be altered if needed.

HOS homes can only be bought by individuals with less than HK$395,000 in assets. This benchmark may be raised in May.

Meanwhile, the government included six prime urban sites in the new application list of sites for sale, effective from February, which will be offloaded within two years if developers have not triggered them by then, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet- ngor said earlier. The authorities have sped up the process and will sell these sites "very soon," a source told Sing Tao Daily.

These sites - measuring a total of 7.98 hectares - are expected to provide 2,200 homes. They may help stabilize supply and deter spillover of price surges from luxury to mass-market properties, Cheng said.

Five of these sites - one each at The Peak, Mid-Levels, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon Tong and Stubbs Road - are for residential use. The remaining site has a mixed-use condition.

Government urged to go green on quarry
5 May 2010
South China Morning Post

http://www.globalphotos.org/hongkong/20071227/IMG_3526.jpg

A quarry that leaves a huge scar across the Kowloon hills should be turned into a green space for people to enjoy instead of being used for more high-rise public housing, district councillors told planning officials yesterday.

Kwun Tong councillors also said the development of the Anderson Road Quarry, due to close in 2016, should be co-ordinated with that of the former airport site at Kai Tak, which it overlooks.

The Planning Department told the council the quarry would yield a 40-hectare area, equivalent to the size of the West Kowloon Cultural District, for development.

Chief town planner Fiona Lung Siu-yuk said a consultant next month would start an 18-month study into possible uses for the site, including public and private housing and other types of development.

The idea immediately drew councillors' objections because the area was already congested with public housing blocks.

"There are already many high-rise public rental apartments in this part of the Kowloon Mid-Levels. I oppose any more such flats being added there because you would have to build many roads to absorb the population," Cheung Shun-wah said.

He said the site could be used for low-density private housing.

Hung Kam-in said the government should protect the ridgeline in this part of Kowloon from being broken by high-rises.

"I don't see any solution to solving the existing traffic problems," he added. "Any more apartment blocks will be a disaster for Kwun Tong."

Other councillors said the site on the steep lower slopes of the 419-metre Tai Sheung Tok - one of the nine "dragons" that gave Kowloon its name - could be used for much-needed leisure and sports facilities.

"You promised the place would become a green belt," Leung Fu-wing said. "It's so ugly now, it's barren. A green face would be a good thing for residents."

Council chairman Chan Chung-bun said the government should co-ordinate the planning of the site with that of Kai Tak, which would provide public and private housing and community facilities.

At present, there are at least eight public housing estates around the quarry. Residents rely on buses and minibuses to get to the city centre or the nearest MTR stations in Choi Hung and Kwun Tong.

The development will also add to a large-scale public housing project on the edge of the quarry, which is under construction and will accommodate 48,300 people. The site formation and infrastructure have already cost HK$2.06 billion.

The quarry is estimated to have supplied 50 million tonnes of rocks for the construction industry.

Hung Hom by 鄧麗欣之戀 from skyscrapers.cn :

http://i473.photobucket.com/albums/rr95/kalvinkong/IMG_0795.jpg

Strong response expected for final HOS flats
25 June 2010
South China Morning Post

Analysts are optimistic about the sale of over 3,200 Home Ownership Scheme flats which starts today, thanks to improved market sentiment and the prospect that the subsidised properties will soon run out.

"I believe it will receive an ideal market response because {hellip} we are seeing more market activity these days, particularly for small and medium-priced flats," Patrick Chow Moon-kit, head of research at Ricacorp Properties, said.

"The prices, which are about 70 per cent of market value, are set based on transactions between February and April. Flat prices are about 2 to 3 per cent higher now, so HOS flats are even more attractive," Chow said, adding that there would be three to four times more applicants than the number of available flats.

The Housing Authority will accept applications from today for 3,219 HOS flats at 33 estates. These are the last batch of HOS flats the government holds, excluding 825 units held back at Tin Chung Court, Tin Shui Wai due to a row over management fees with the owners' committee.

Both Chow and Midland Realty chief analyst Buggle Lau Ka-fai believed there would be many applicants for the apartments because there was no sign the government would rebuild HOS flats since it halted the practice in 2003.

"When prospective buyers realise that this is the last batch, they will want to apply and the sale will draw a lot of attention," Lau said.

Assistant Director of Housing Chan Nap-ming said the government was optimistic about the sale and believed there were enough flats for prospective buyers to choose from.

The 3,219 flats have a saleable area of between 205 square feet and 666 square feet. Over 1,100 units are at Yau Chui Court in Yau Tong, while 639 are located at Kam Fung Court in Ma On Shan.

The selling prices range from HK$302,400, at Lung Hin Court in Tai O, Lantau Island to HK$3.28 million, in Tung Tao Court, Shau Kei Wan.

The income limit for applicants has been raised from HK$23,000 to HK$27,000 for a two-person household and they cannot have assets of more than HK$530,000. The authority estimated that at least 106,400 households were eligible to apply. Applications will be open from today until July 8. On-site show flats are open for visits in Yau Chui Court and Kam Fung Court, while several flats in Tsz Oi Court will also be open for viewing with a guide.

Applications for surplus HOS Flats Phase 6 close tomorrow
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Government Press Release

The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

Applications for the purchase of surplus Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats Phase 6 will close tomorrow (July 8).

A spokesman for the Housing Authority (HA) today (July 7) reminded eligible applicants that a range of flats of different sizes, layout designs and prices at various locations were available and eligible people who want to purchase an HOS flat can make use of this opportunity.

The HA is offering some 3,200-plus flats for sale, comprising 1,110 unsold flats in Yau Chui Court Stage II in Yau Tong and over 2,000 scattered flats located in 32 courts in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories.

Sales information and application forms can be obtained at the Housing Authority Customer Service Centre (HACSC) in Lok Fu, public rental housing estates offices, Sham Shui Po Housing Information Centre and Public Enquiry Service Centres of the Home Affairs Department. Sales information can also be viewed and application forms downloaded from the HA/Housing Department website (www.housingauthority.gov.hk).

Eligible applicants must submit their application forms and necessary documents to the respective estate offices or the HACSC by or before tomorrow. For applications sent by post, the date of the postal chop on the envelope will be regarded as the date of submission.

Ballots will be drawn before the end of this month to determine the flat selection sequence of applicants while flat selection will begin in August.

Every available site for future development in Hong Kong is being used for public housing tower instead of being put to other uses. I hope the Anderson Road Quarry is turned into a green space (green spaces are rare in Hong Kong). It's either that, or a combination of public housing and greenspaces.

Income-based rent system slammed as faulty
The Standard
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The government's income-based rent- adjustment mechanism for public housing is seriously flawed, say lawmakers.

That is because it has driven up rents while forcing the authorities to offer a two-month waiver as compensation.

The system failed to consider inflation which, if included, would have frozen public housing rents, they said.

The rent adjustment is based on the average income of public housing households surveyed by the Census and Statistics Department from 2007 to 2009.

The 4.68-percent hike in rents, to take effect in September, was discussed in a Legislative Council housing panel meeting yesterday.

Lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung said the calculation of tenants' capacity to pay should depend not only on income but also the impact of inflation - which has held steady at 3.95 percent for the past two years.

"Tenants' expenditure has surged, and has almost counterbalanced the rise in household salaries," he said.

But Secretary for Housing and Transport Eva Cheng Yu-wah said household expenditure varies between families and it would "not be scientific and fair to make an estimation on that basis."

Before the meeting started, about 50 public housing tenants protested against the rent rise outside Legco.

A 60-year-old, who lives in Kwai Chung Estate with her husband and son for a monthly rent of HK$2,100, said: "The increase in income does not include poor people like us."

The rent rise excludes low-income tenants on social welfare, who make up one-fourth of the 680,000 tenants.

The Civic Party's Alan Leong Kah- kit urged the Housing Authority to comprehensively review the mechanism.

If it were without flaw, the rent waiver would not have been required, the legislator noted.

Leung confronts price fears with HOS call
The Standard
Friday, August 20, 2010

Executive Council convener Leung Chun-ying believes the government should seriously consider reviving the Home Ownership Scheme, and said it will not drag down property prices.

The scheme is well developed and the government has gained plenty of experience putting it into action over nearly 26 years, Leung said.

Apart from the HOS, he would welcome any other measures to stabilize the property market.

However, he warned that it usually takes several years for any new measures to take effect.

"It is very difficult in any market to buck the trend of property prices," Leung said.

"We all know that the supply of housing units takes a long time.

"Land formation, land sales, the application process and also the construction process itself may take several years."

He also warned the government to be careful in formulating housing policies in order to avoid boosting already sky-high property prices.

However, a drastic fall in property prices is not a good thing either.

"If the government is thinking of cooling down the property market by increasing land supply, then it needs to bear in mind the consequences," Leung said. "Not everyone wants to see a decrease in land prices."

Consultation on curbing soaring property prices is currently under way and ends in the middle of next month.

The result will be announced in the policy address of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in October.

Agency launches HOS premium scheme
The Standard
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Hong Kong Mortgage Corp will guarantee loans of up to HK$3 million for premium payments by Home Ownership Scheme flat-owners in a bid to revitalize the secondary home market for this sector.

Under the long-awaited Premium Loan Guarantee Scheme, the government agency will provide a mortgagee bank guarantee on 60 percent of loan-to-value ratio of a HOS apartment that is on lease, and 70 percent of LTV of an owner-occupied flat.

Inclusive of the premium loan, the same mortgage bank can receive up to 90 percent of property value, known as the covered amount.

Owners will have to pay their mortgage banks an annual guarantee fee, ranging from 1.8 percent of the covered amount for a three-year premium loan to 3.8 percent for a 30-year one.

Corporation executive director Peter Pang Sing-tong said owners will be able to repay the premium loans to banks in installments: "This scheme offers an additional means of financing to HOS owners who like some flexibility in paying premiums to the Housing Authority."

The authority said that this should benefit HOS owners who want to settle premium payments before selling their flats. It pointed out that some homeowners who have moved to private apartments can now rent out their vacant HOS homes and use the rentals to repay premiums.

Of the 320,000 HOS flats in Hong Kong, the premium for around 65,000 homes has been settled.

Dah Sing Bank executive director John Lam Cheung-wah said the lender is interested in the scheme. While Lam expects it to help revitalize the market, he said it is premature to forecast market demand or competition.

More public housing for struggling singles urged
4 October 2010
South China Morning Post

The ramshackle bed in the 36-square-foot room of restaurant cleaner Ng Yuk-ching is strewn with clothes and other items.

The room in a 40-year-old building in Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, is one of five small cubicles sharing a communal kitchen and toilet. The bunk bed and a small table are the only furniture Ng has.

"It's too small to put in other things," she said.

Poor sanitary conditions and the presence of drug users in the building are another source of nuisance.

"The squeaking of mice disrupts my sleep. Stairs are strewn with used needles at night. It's scary."

Ng is one of the growing number of single applicants for public housing estates whose interminable wait for a subsidised flat has made life miserable. "I have been waiting for seven years. I am beginning to lose hope," she says.

The plight of single public housing applicants is revealed in a survey conducted by the Society for Community Organisation. Carried out between March and September, the survey interviewed 107 people living in cage homes, partitioned rooms and roof shacks.

More than 70 per cent said they were dissatisfied with their living conditions.

Fifty-one per cent have applied for public housing. The average waiting time is 30 months. The longest waiting time is eight years. More than 90 per cent of those who are not applicants said they did not apply due to the long waiting time.

Single applicants have been allowed to apply for public housing since 1985. Figures for this year from the Housing Authority show that 52,000, or 40 per cent, of 130,000 public housing applicants are non-elderly single people, compared to 37,500 in 2006.

A scoring system specifically for non-elderly single applicants was adopted in 2005. Age and whether the applicant is living with family in a public housing flat are among scoring factors. Sze Lai-shan, community organiser for the society, said the system discriminated against young single people.

"There is a specific queue for those aged 60 or above. For those single people aged below 60, the older you are, the more points you get. Older applicants can also jump queues, extending the wait of the young ones. The 2,000 quota limit for single applicants each year means some single people can wait for as long as 10 years before [getting] a flat."

Gary, 26, has been on the waiting list since 2005.

He moved out of his family home six years ago to avoid his parents who were constantly arguing. The night-time delivery worker earns HK$6,000 a month and pays HK$1,500 for a 100 sq ft flat in Sham Shui Po. "I couldn't find a girlfriend because of my poor living conditions," he said.

Sze said the lack of housing support for poor single people had forced many to live in tragic conditions. "The government's promise that applicants do not have to wait for more than three years for a flat is empty," Sze said.

"The government says 77,000 new flats will be built in the coming five years. This target is far short of the huge demand. They should release more land from the land bank to build public housing blocks and push the target to 35,000 new flats every year."

Sze said the government should give subsidies to those who had waited for more than three years so that they could rent housing whose quality was similar to that of a subsidised home.

"Singletons are forced to live in worse housing because of frequent rent rises.

"The 2,000 yearly quota should be scrapped as everybody, whether they are old or married, should be treated the same. Based on the proportion of single applicants, there should be 10,000 flats set aside for them each year, instead of 2,000."

The HK$7,400 salary ceiling for single applicants should also be raised, Sze said.

Ng said she had to leave jobs frequently to make sure her salary did not exceed the ceiling. "The current cleaning job pays HK$7,000 per month.

"I have been at it for three months. I had to leave my previous job because my former boss wanted to raise my salary."

Home prices to rise
26 October 2010
The Standard

Local home prices will rise a further 10 to 15 percent in the coming year, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp said.

Low interest rates will continue for at least 1 years more, while official efforts to boost land supply to bring down prices will show results only from 2012, said Donna Kwok, economist for Greater China.

She said more capital will flow into the local property market as Beijing puts the brakes on property speculation and if the United States launches a second round of quantitative easing.

The bank's chief executive for Hong Kong, Mark McCombe, said a vibrant home market has historically been ``the bedrock of Hong Kong's economic growth.''

He said the policy address took a prudent approach to address the issue of affordability.

``I think it is ... extremely important that people in Hong Kong have a chance to own their homes,'' he said.

According to Midland Realty, secondary deals at 35 major projects were up 24.3 percent at 476 last week, an almost three-year high.

And the Housing Authority said almost all the remaining 3,200 Home Ownership Scheme units left in its inventory have been sold.

As of Friday, the Land Registry recorded 9,179 HOS deals worth HK$15.6 billion so far this year.

On a wider front, HSBC chief economist for Greater China Qu Hongbin believes Asian authorities may launch more tightening policies - such as taxes or capital restriction - to minimize risks stemming from liquidity inflows.

The possibility of a quick and sharp rise in home prices and rising inflation driven by capital inflows may be the largest concerns this year, Qu said. HSBC expects mainland home prices to fall by 7 to 20 percent in the coming year.

Clean killer has noise, dust in sights
The Standard
Monday, November 01, 2010

Four housing estates are getting a face-lift with the Housing Department's latest device - a HK$1 million water gun.

The new machine makes a lot less noise than the electric drills used before, and produces near- zero dust, the department's support service chief manager, Pang Hon-wah, said.

"The environment-friendly water gun is almost dust-free and makes much less noise," he said.

Compared to the more than 100 decibels of sound that electric drills produce when cleaning concrete, the water gun produces about 70 decibels.

That is about the level of normal sounds in everyday life, Pang said.

What is more important is that the water method of cleaning buildings reduces dust pollution, thereby lowering the risk of contracting "dust lung" - a common occupational disease among construction workers.

Also, the water gun will not undermine the architectural construction of old buildings, a problem associated with the strong vibrations generated by electric drills, Pang said.

The gun is designed to push the water through dozens of tiny holes, generating fine columns but with strong pressure of 20,000 to 30,000 pounds per square inch at a time, powerful enough to remove concrete.

Fixed on a support, the device is controlled by a microcomputer and can be moved back and forth.

An additional water-collecting device is installed to gather liquid running to the ground to prevent leakage. The collected water can then be filtered and reused.

The gun is already widely used in construction sites for unblocking drains, removing oil and cleaning outer walls. The device, developed by the department, is about one-tenth the size of the original adopted in the United States.

The portable machine can be detached and moved into a tiny lift by two workers.

If the results prove satisfactory at the four public estates now using the water gun for indoor renewal works, the device will be used in other estates as well, Pang said.

Works to improve accessibility in public housing blocks
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Government Press Release

The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The Housing Authority (HA) will carry out works at a total cost of about $330 million to improve barrier free access in old public housing estates to meet requirements laid down in Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008 (DM 2008), in accordance with the recommendation of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

"While all new buildings of the HA have adopted the relevant design requirements in DM 2008 since its introduction, those built earlier are not fully compliant," a spokesman for the HA said today (December 19).

Although the DM 2008 has no retrospective effect, the HA as a caring landlord conducted an assessment in July this year in all existing properties under its management. Subsequently, it has identified a number of major improvement works, most of which are to be completed by mid-2012, to fulfil the requirements of DM 2008. The remaining works are expected to be completed by 2014.

These works include accessible lifts covering lift doors, control buttons, illuminated visual indicators, audible signals and indication in lift cars; provision of tactile warning strips at landings and at both bottom and top ends of staircases; the provision of handrails of required dimension and shape; and the provision of appropriate channel cover and grating.

Meanwhile, to address a major concern of many people with disabilities, the HA has put in place a separate programme of installing lifts for low-rise public housing blocks without such facilities, scheduled to be completed by 2012.

"In addition, improvement works for domestic blocks without lift services for every floor will be completed in 2016/17," the spokesman said.

The HA is also committed to on-going tailor-made improvement works on a needs basis. These include in-flat modifications, such as the widening of toilet and kitchen doors and the addition of temporary ramps at flat entrances.

"We will continue the proactive approach in co-ordination with relevant stakeholders for works in divested properties or in the vicinity of our estates," the spokesman said.

Housing market: Government should not be too protective
29 December 2010
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

The Party Secretary of Shenzhen, Wang Rong, had the following comment to make about the hot housing market: "Everybody feels the pressures from high cost of living in Shenzhen. But the government cannot therefore suppress the housing price from 20,000 yuan per square meter to 10,000 or 8,000 yuan. That would not be compatible with the law of markets. But we can provide more housing for the poor."

It's high time bureaucrats in Hong Kong understood this principle and started working accordingly. After all, Hong Kong is known to be the bulwark of free market economy in the world.

There is a widespread belief that Hong Kong's high housing prices are due to speculative pressures, as if speculative pressures had an independent effect on housing prices. It is also believed that once speculative pressures are taken off, houses would be a lot more affordable. Nothing is further from the truth.

With historically low mortgage rates, demand for property outstripping supply for years, and an economy that is gaining in strength, why should anyone be surprised at the surge in housing prices?

It is true that speculators buy, but they also sell. One must prove that speculators are really reducing the net availability of homes to "users", and that such "net absorption" has risen over the years. Surely, if the net absorption is relatively stable, it should not accentuate the housing price increase.

It is also true that in a rising market, speculators pocket gains. What happens when someone sells a flat at $3 million to a speculator, who sells for $3.6 million to a user after six months? The speculator pockets $0.6 million profit. But without the speculator's role, the flat today would probably still cost $3.6 million. The capital gain would have gone to the seller or to the user-buyer. The price increase thus mainly reflects a change in market conditions.

Mr Shih Wing-ching, the chairman of Centaline Property Agency Ltd, recently wrote two interesting and well reasoned pieces on the role of speculators, who, according to him, buy houses at a price that sellers are happy to sell, when users are still hesitant about buying; and that they sell to users at a price that buyers are happy to buy, when market conditions have convinced the users that the price is still reasonable. Speculators therefore generally increase liquidity in the property market. Their role is especially valuable to developers who need cash for further property development. It is also inappropriate to portray speculators as anti-socials.

From the point of view of the monetary authority and the government, both of which should be concerned about systematic risks, the main challenge is not so much to guard against prices becoming "excessively high" as to control risks through controlling leverage. Indeed, if the US had taken steps to ensure that for each purchase of homes, there is a reasonable down-payment and that the borrower had met the normal criteria, the sub-prime crisis would never have occurred. Paradoxically, the sub-prime crisis in the US reflected the failure of democratic polity. The short-term interests of politicians who were anxious to please their constituents were instrumental in excessive forbearance of extreme leverage and the watering down of loan standards. Both Republicans and Democrats had acted irresponsibly to promote homeownership.

So is there no need to worry about the housing price bubble? My simple answer is "no", so long as the government has a consistent policy to supply housing that meets Hong Kong's long-term demand. Yes housing prices may fall, and falling home prices may hurt, but that is just fine, and indeed necessary for homebuyers to learn that there are always risks in any investment! The government and the monetary authorities cannot and should not be too protective. They should at the most guard people against risks.

The SAR government has taken the first step to offer an annual housing supply target, which I have advocated for years. The 20,000-units-a-year target for private housing and the 15,000-units-a-year target for public housing are probably on the low side. It is a far cry from the 85,000-units-a-year target announced by the former Chief Executive Mr Tung. The 35,000-units-a-year target is based on take-up rates in recent years that may not reflect normal times, as we had seen during the Asian financial crisis, the bursting of the dotcom bubble, SARS and the global financial tsunami. A more reasonable target probably lies somewhere between these extremes.

The author is director of Centre for Public Policy Studies, Lingnan University.

Hong Kong Starts Tender For Affordable Housing Project In New Territories
31 December 2010

HONG KONG - (Dow Jones) - The Hong Kong government said Friday it has started a tender for a site in the New Territories that has been designated for affordable housing in a pilot program announced by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang in October.

The Development Bureau said in a statement the developer of the project in Yuen Long district will have to build at least 960 apartments of up to 60 square meters each. The total size of the site is about 12,340 square meters.

The tender will close Feb. 18, the statement said.

The city's real-estate prices have soared more than 15% since the start of this year, following a 30% rise last year, prompting the government to take several measures to cool the property market.

Tsang announced the pilot program in his policy address for the year ending March 31, 2011, as part of government measures to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Budget surplus means good news for authority's home building goals
5 January 2011
South China Morning Post

The Housing Authority's construction goals should be easier to meet over the next few years, thanks to a bigger-than-expected surplus.

In the 2010-11 financial year, the provider of public housing and Home Ownership Scheme flats achieved an overall consolidated surplus of HK$6 billion, according to a revised budget announced yesterday by Stanley Wong Yuen-fai, chairman of the authority's finance committee.

This was 58 per cent more than the HK$3.8 billion the authority projected in an earlier approved budget. It is also the biggest surplus since The Link real estate and investment trust took over management of estate malls in 2005.

The authority promised to build 15,000 public housing flats a year, at a cost of HK$7.5 billion over five years. To ensure it met this goal, its investment profile was now more adventurous, Wong said. Hong Kong stocks used to constitute 1 per cent of global stocks in which it invested, but that had been lifted to more than 5 per cent.

The revised budget noted that sales and pricing of Home Ownership Scheme flats were better than expected, resulting in an additional HK$500 million for the authority.

"A general rise of property prices in Hong Kong lifted the prices of Home Ownership Scheme flats," Wong said.

Prices of the scheme's flats were linked to prices of private housing and priced about 30 per cent lower than private flats in the same district.

Spending also dropped because of a shift in accounting rules. Estates could now depreciate public housing for 50 years instead of 40 years, Wong said.

The authority estimated the surplus would shrink to HK$4.4 billion in 2012, dwindling further, to HK$3.7 billion, in 2015. Income was expected to slip after the Home Ownership Scheme was phased out next year.

In 2010, the authority sold 3,000 flats under the scheme. A total of 800 would be sold this year.

The authority's financial performance had nothing to do with the rent paid by public housing tenants, Wong said. According to an adjustment system introduced in 2008, rents were adjusted according to changes in the average income of tenants, calculated every two years.

The authority last raised rents by 4.68 per cent in September, but it also waived one month's rent, which nearly offset the increase.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-24/australia-hong-kong-homes-are-the-world-s-least-affordable-report-says.html

Australia, Hong Kong Among World's Priciest Housing Markets, Survey Shows

Australian homes are the most unaffordable among English-speaking nations, while those in the U.S. are the cheapest relative to incomes, a survey shows.

The median home in Australia costs 6.1 times gross annual median household income, according to a report by Belleville, Illinois-based consulting company Demographia, examining affordability in the third quarter of 2010. U.S. homes were most affordable at 3 times median earnings. Hong Kong is the priciest city, with homes costing 11.4 times income.

Australia has gone from being “the exemplar of modestly priced, high-quality middle class housing, to now the most unaffordable housing market in the English speaking world,” the report said. “Each of the least affordable markets were characterized by more restrictive land use regulation, which materially increases the price of land and makes housing less affordable.”

Australia’s median home price was A$460,000 ($454,000) in October, according to real estate researcher RP Data. That compares with $168,800 in the U.S. in December, data from Washington-based National Association of Realtors show. While the U.S. is still struggling with mounting foreclosures and near 10 percent unemployment, both Australia and Hong Kong are seeing expanding economies on the back of China’s growth.

“There’s no question that Australia has exceptionally expensive housing compared to other countries,” Aaron Gadiel, chief executive officer of Sydney-based developers’ group Urban Taskforce, said in a telephone interview. “Land-use planning policies that combine the worst of the U.S. and U.K. systems, together with a lack of infrastructure development have stalled supply at the fringes of major cities and led to grossly inadequate apartment-type housing in inner suburbs.”

‘Social Problems’

Home prices in Hong Kong have surged more than 50 percent in the past 24 months, powered by interest rates at a two-decade low, an expanding economy and an influx of buyers from China.

“High housing costs can be justified if the productivity and the average income among its population are both rising at a compatible pace,” Raymond So, a professor at the business school of the Hang Seng Management College in Hong Kong, said in an e-mail. “They are creating a lot of social problems in Hong Kong because the economic expansion is only benefiting the high income and professional groups.”

Markets where home prices are 5.1 times household income or more are considered severely unaffordable by the report, which compared major metropolitan areas in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K. and U.S.

Rising Foreclosures

All the affordable major markets -- with homes that cost three times yearly income or less -- were in the U.S., with Altanta, where the median house price is $129,000, the most affordable big city, the report said.

The number of U.S. homes receiving a foreclosure filing will climb about 20 percent in 2011, RealtyTrac Inc. said in a Jan. 14 report, pushing home prices down further. A record 2.87 million properties got notices of default, auction or repossession in 2010, according to the report.

In the U.S., the most unaffordable major metropolitan market was San Francisco, where homes cost 7.2 times income, followed by San Jose (6.7 times), San Diego (6.2 times), New York (6.1 times) and Los Angeles (5.9 times), the report said.

In the U.K., where nearly two-thirds of metropolitan markets were severely unaffordable, the market’s rebound may be held in check by the government’s planned spending cuts, Hometrack Ltd. said.

Almost 85 percent of homes in Australia’s major markets were more than 5.1 times average income, the report said, making it the nation with “the most intense housing stress.”

Absorb Losses

Still, the situation may not be as dire as it seems, Australian banks including Westpac Banking Corp. and Commonwealth Bank of Australia have argued.

The RP-Data-Rismark home value index, which considers all home prices across all regions and comparable incomes, shows an affordability ratio of 4.5 percent for Australia, Westpac said in October.

Comparing homes in global coastal cities -- which are generally priced higher than those in inland areas -- shows homes in Australian metropolitan areas are in line with other countries, Commonwealth Bank said in September. About 85 percent of Australians live within 50 kilometers (27 miles) of the coast, according to a 2009 government report.

Australian banks and mortgage insurers could absorb losses should home prices plunge, and related securities would maintain their ratings, Fitch Ratings said in a separate report.

Conservative lending standards and the strength of the Australian economy would enable the financial industry and mortgage market to weather a 30 percent decline in housing prices and a 6 percent default rate, according to a stress test conducted by Fitch. The results released today were in line with preliminary figures the ratings company revealed late last year.

:banana:

LCQ4: Allocation of public rental housing flats
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li Wah-ming and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, in the Legislative Council today (26 January):

Question:

Members of the public who are eligible to apply for public rental housing (PRH) and have submitted their applications must first obtain an application number, then wait for allocation of PRH flats according to their order of registration on the PRH Waiting List, and PRH flats will be allocated to them when suitable flats are available. At present, the average space allocated is normally not less than seven square metres per person. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) why at present, the authorities generally need three months to allocate an application number to a PRH applicant and whether that duration can be shortened; among the ordinary family applications which had been allocated PRH flats in the past three years, of the average waiting time from the date of registration to the acceptance of flat offer (i.e. being successfully allocated a flat), the median waiting time, and the respective numbers and percentages of applicants who accepted the flats allocated to them on the first, second and third offers;

(b) among the ordinary family applications currently on the Waiting List, of the average waiting time from the date of registration till the end of December 2010, the median waiting time, and the respective numbers of applications which have been given flat offers once or twice, and whether the time required for making the second or the third offers can be shortened; and

(c) among the applications from the three-person, four-person and five-person families which had been allocated PRH flats in the past three years, of the respective average space allocated to each person, and whether the authorities will consider relaxing the space allocation standard, which had been established many years ago, of an average of seven square metres per person?

Reply:

President,

The Government and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s objective is to provide public rental housing (PRH) to low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation, and the target is to maintain the average waiting time (AWT) for PRH at around three years. To this end, the HA maintains a Waiting List (WL) of PRH applicants. My reply to the three parts of the question is as follows:

(a) To safeguard the rational allocation of public housing resources, all applicants have to undergo eligibility vetting before they are registered on the WL. The Housing Department (HD) will vet the applicants' eligibility according to the order of receipt of the application forms. Those fulfilling the eligibility criteria will be allocated an application number and issued an acknowledgement letter (blue card) bearing the application number. Our target is to inform the applicant in writing whether he/she has been successfully registered on the WL within three months upon acknowledgement of the receipt of his/her application form. The time required for vetting depends on the number of applications received and the number of documents requiring vetting. If there is a significant increase in the number of applications received in a certain period of time, HD would redeploy extra manpower to vet and process the applications. At present, in general we are able to meet the target of completing vetting in three months.

The Government and the HA's target is to maintain the AWT of general WL applicants at around three years. Under the established calculation methodology, the AWT of general WL applicants refers to the average time taken between registration on the WL and the first flat offer for those rehoused to PRH in the past 12 months, excluding any frozen period during application, for example, when the applicant has not yet fulfilled the residence requirement, the applicant is imprisoned, or the applicant has requested to put his/her application on hold pending arrival of family member(s) for family reunion, etc. While eligible applicants are given three flat offers, the applicants are provided with a rehousing opportunity at the first offer. It is a matter of personal decision if the applicants decline the first flat offer to wait for subsequent offers. Thus, the waiting time is counted up to the first flat offer.

In respect of AWT for general WL applicants, which refers to the average period between registration and first flat offer, it was 1.8 years in 2008/09, and two years for 2009/10 and as at the end of October 2010.

The aforementioned calculation methodology counting the time between registration and first flat offer forms the basis for formulating and maintaining the target of keeping the AWT at around three years. We have not calculated the average or median of the actual time for rehousing as this would include acceptance upon the second or third flat offer.

However, we could provide the following supplementary information for reference. For those general WL applicants, excluding one-person applicants, who rejected the first offer, in 2008/09, the average time taken between the first and second offer, or between the second and third offers for those with third offers was about five or six months plus; in 2009/10, it was about four to five months plus; and from April to end of October 2010, it was about five to six months.

As regards statistics of when the applicants accept the flat offers, in 2008/09, 20%, 39% and 41% of the general WL applicants (excluding applicants under the Quota and Points System (QPS)) accepted the first, second and third offers respectively. In 2009/10, the respective numbers were 21%, 41% and 38%. From April to end of October 2010, the respective numbers were 19%, 46% and 35%. I would like to stress that the above figures only show the situation in a specified period of time. As the supply and demand of PRH and the distribution of WL District choices of applicants change from time to time, such figures also vary from time to time.

(b) Regarding part (b) of the question, as the statistics for the recent two months are still being compiled, we would now provide statistics as at end of October 2010.

The average waiting period for general WL applicants currently on the WL, based on the time between registration until flat offer or end of October 2010, was 1.5 years and the median waiting period was 1.3 years. Waiting period excludes any frozen period, for example when the applicants do not fulfill the residence requirements, period of imprisonment, or the applications are put on hold at the request of the applicants pending arrival of family member(s) for family reunion, etc.

Under the three housing offers available, it is a matter of personal decision for the applicants to refuse the first flat offer to wait for subsequent offers. As at end of October 2010, there were a total of 81,900 general WL applications, excluding applications under the QPS. Among them,about 5,700 and 7,900 cases had already received first or second flat offer(s).

As for the period between second and third flat offers, I wish to point out that allocation offers are made subject to the supply of PRH flats which includes new production and recovered flats. Supply of new and recovered PRH flats may vary across Districts from time to time and applicants' demand for various flat types in different Districts changes from time to time as well. Whenever existing PRH flats are recovered or new flats are completed, we would allocate the flats to households of suitable sizes in a timely manner and without any delay, according to the order of the applications. We hope to help applicants solve their housing problem as soon as possible and ensure that public housing resources are utilised effectively. As allocation offers are made subject to PRH demand and supply, we are unable to pledge to shorten the period required for the next offer. Moreover, there are cases where the applicants have special requests regarding the locality of allocation on medical or family grounds with support from the relevant authorities. The flats available for allocation would be limited and hence the time required for such offers would be longer.

(c) The HA's objective is to provide PRH to low income households to meet their housing needs as soon as possible. For effective use of the scarce PRH resources, flats of different designs and sizes are allocated according to the standards endorsed by the HA. If the standards are relaxed, applicants' choice would be reduced and the waiting time would be lengthened. The HA would also need to have larger units to rehouse WL applicants. This would exert pressure on PRH supply under limited public housing and land resources. Therefore, we do not have any plans to relax the allocation standards.

Among general WL applicants rehoused in 2008/09, 2009/10 and from April to end of October 2010, the average space allocated per person for three-person households remained around 10 square metres. For four-person households, it remained around 9.5 square metres. For five-person households, it remained around 8 square metres.

Can supply keep up with increased demand?

Public flats may open to 25,000 more
1 March 2011
The Standard

An extra 25,000 households may qualify for public housing under a proposal to raise the monthly income cap for applicants by up to 17.5 percent in the coming financial year.

Housing chief Eva Cheng Yu-wah said that factors such as the macroeconomic environment, price movements and the Minimum Wage Ordinance, which will be implemented on May 1, all have to be taken into account during discussions on public housing applicants' income limit.

``We want to get prepared as soon as possible and properly deal with the income limit matter by May 1 so that those who are waiting for public housing flats can rest assured and more low-income families can be helped,'' said Cheng, the secretary for transport and housing.

She estimated that 25,000 more households will be eligible to apply. That means 32.5 percent of households now renting private flats - or 131,100 - will fall into the public housing net.

For one-member households, the government may raise the income cap by 17.5 percent to HK$8,740 a month.

Under the government proposals that are pending approval by the Housing Authority, the monthly income cap of public housing applicants in 2011-12 will go up 15.6 percent on average.

The asset limit is also proposed to be increased by up to 3.3 percent on average in the coming financial year.

A government source declined to say whether the ``substantial'' increase was proposed to pacify public anger.

The minimum wage is HK$28 an hour.

Federation of Public Housing Estates chairman Wong Kwun said the government should increase the supply of public housing flats.

Can supply keep up with increased demand?


We are already short in supply, and now we have more demand without plan to increase supply. So... never!

HA approves arrangements for clearance of Chai Wan Factory Estate
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Government Press Release

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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The Housing Authority's (HA) Commercial Properties Committee (CPC) today (March 10) approved a plan to clear the Chai Wan Factory Estate (CWFE) and provide an ex-gratia allowance and other arrangements for the affected tenants. All arrangements will be the same as those for clearance of other old factory estates in the past.

"The CWFE is a five-storey block without lift service built in 1959, comprising 378 factory units with a standard size of 18 square metres. Its design has become obsolescent and its maintenance costs keep on increasing. Currently, there are still 138 tenants occupying 280 standard units. The CPC has approved to give tenants 18 months' notice to vacate the premises," said the CPC Chairman Dr Andrew Chan Ping-chiu.

"Both the tenancy agreement and the Housing Ordinance entitle the HA to terminate factory tenancies by giving due notice. Nevertheless, an ex-gratia allowance (EGA) will be granted to the affected tenants to assist their relocation," he said.

About 98% of the affected tenants have "assignment right" and will be offered EGA ranging from about $88,000 to $147,000 for each standard unit. The EGA granted represents about 14 to 16 years' existing rent payable.

"Those who wish to re-establish business elsewhere may participate in the open tender or restricted tender exercises for the newer HA factory units, where space of about 2,000 square metres is currently available," he said.

The affected tenants may alternatively choose to relocate to factory units in the private sector which are in abundant supply. According to the Rating and Valuation Department's "Hong Kong Property Review 2010", there were 1,388,000 square metres of factory space vacant in the private sector, of which about 12% was on Hong Kong Island, as at end-2009.

"A three-month rent-free period will be offered to displaced tenants leasing HA factory units elsewhere. A cash sum of $8,200 per standard unit will be paid to tenants not opting for the rent-free period. The total sum of EGA (including the cash sum in-lieu of rent free period) payable to the affected tenants of CWFE would be about $33 million," he added.

The clearance of CWFE is scheduled for September 2012. The site is currently zoned "Comprehensive Development Area" under the approved Chai Wan Outline Zoning Plan. The HA considers that the site is suitable for public rental housing development and intends to seek its allocation for that purpose.

The Housing Department has decided to renovate a big public housing estate on a prime site in Southern District after inspectors found it was structurally sound.

The Housing Department has decided to renovate a big public housing estate on a prime site in Southern District after inspectors found it was structurally sound.

That's again a quote from a 2008 article from SCMP without properly sourcing it... :ohno:

http://www.skyline-technologies.com/news/0608/210608.shtml#1

LCQ17: Sizes of PRH units
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, in the Legislative Council today (April 13):

Question:

It has been reported that during his visit to Hong Kong in late February this year, the mayor of Taipei visited a public rental housing (PRH) estate. He subsequently indicated that a study was being conducted on the construction of PRH in Taipei, and the unit sizes would be about twice those in Hong Kong, with about 39 square metres (sq m) for single-person units and about 79 sq m for small-family units. Regarding the sizes and designs of PRH units in Hong Kong, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:

(a) when and based on what criteria the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) formulated the existing standard for PRH space allocation per person;

(b) whether they know in which Asian cities PRH is provided to the residents, the relevant standards for space allocation per person and the average space allocated to each person;

(c) whether they know how the PRH units provided by HA compare with those of other Asian cities in terms of flat size and layout of rooms, broken down by the designed number of occupants per unit, e.g. the sizes and number of rooms for one/two persons, two/three persons, four persons and five persons or more;

(d) whether they have studied how to improve the designs of PRH units so that they will be on a par with or similar to the PRH units of other Asian cities in terms of size and layout; and

(e) whether they have considered designing larger PRH units for the elderly in response to the ageing population?

Reply:

President,

The public housing programme in Hong Kong is widely recognised as being among the most comprehensive and effective in Asia, if not the world. Hong Kong's public housing has kept in pace with the times in various aspects such as design, planning, construction and estate management and provides public housing tenants with many benefits. We are very willing to share and exchange our successful experience in the development and management of public housing with other places and cities.

The Government's current subsidised housing policy is to provide public rental housing (PRH) for low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation. The target of the Government and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) is to maintain the average waiting time for PRH at around three years for low-income families in need. The HA will develop PRH under the principle of optimal utilisation of land resources to maintain development in a most cost-effective and sustainable manner. PRH resources are limited and we need to allocate PRH in a prudent and rational manner.

My reply to the five parts of the question is as follows:

(a) With a view to better utilising the PRH resources, the Housing Department will flexibly handle the allocation of PRH. There are allocation ranges for different types of PRH units with different sizes. For example, a one-bedroom unit of New Harmony blocks with an internal floor area of about 30 square meters can be allocated to 3 to 4 person households; while a two-bedroom unit with an internal floor area of about 40 square meters can be allocated to 4 to 5 person households. The allocation of other types of units is also premised on similar allocation ranges as stated above. The design of different types of PRH units and the above allocation standard have struck a reasonable balance between the practical needs of general PRH applicants and the optimal use of PRH resources. The actual size of units allocated to the applicants will depend on the supply and demand of PRH units available to the households concerned in the districts at the time. The mix of unit sizes that are to be included in each development is reviewed on an annual basis taking into account the composition of the waiting list and the past demand for units of different sizes. Also, the rents of PRH units are calculated with reference to the internal floor area and set at a very reasonable and affordable level.

(b) to (d) Different economies and cities have different characteristics (such as population density, social background and social system) and their policy objectives are also different. Each place or city would formulate its own housing policies, including PRH policies having regard to its own socio-economic conditions.

Some cities may provide PRH to their eligible residents and set different allocation standards for different types of applications. However, such allocation standards would vary among cities, and so would the design of the units. Therefore, it is difficult to directly compare the practices in other cities with that of the HA in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, the HA takes into account the life style of local residents and PRH tenants in designing PRH estates, and provide PRH units with pragmatic layout and which are simple yet appropriate for our circumstances. The HA, under the principle of optimal utilisation of valuable land resources, provides a green environment and ancillary facilities as far as possible so as to create a better living environment for PRH tenants.

As mentioned above, the public housing programme in Hong Kong is widely recognised as being among the most comprehensive and effective in Asia, if not the world. Recent PRH projects have won numerous design, building efficiency and other awards. These clearly demonstrate that modern PRH units comply with the most up-to-date standards of energy efficiency, the use of green technology and smart building techniques for the benefit of the tenants.

(e) The HA is committed to providing elderly PRH tenants with a safe and convenient living environment so as to facilitate "Ageing in Place".

Over the years, the HA has been improving the design of PRH estates. Since 2002, the HA has been implementing "Universal Design" in all new PRH projects and has introduced various facilities to enhance the living environment of the elderly. Examples include provision of pedestrian routes with sufficient width for people in wheelchairs or who need to use walking aids; installation of non-slip floor tiles at corridors, kitchens and bathrooms within all units. Beyond these arrangements are in place to provide lever type door handles, lever type mixer taps and vertical rod type sliding shower heads within unit. We also arrange installation of large electrical switches and doorbells at optimum locations and will consider other features as appropriate. The HA constantly reviews the specifications for PRH units to ensure that the standard provisions suit the needs of tenants.

Singles face six-year itch in public rental flats wait
The Standard
Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Up to 30,000 single people under 30 are waiting for public rental housing - some for six years - the Legislative Council's housing panel has been told.

A pro-government legislator said the figures suggest many young people cannot afford private housing.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng Yu-wah told lawmakers there are 63,400 non-elderly single applicants on the rental waiting list, with 46 percent of them being under 30.

However, she said the maximum annual allocation quota for non-elderly single applicants is 2,000 units, pointing out that it is necessary to balance the needs of different groups given the limited public housing resources.

Several legislators said the quota is insufficient.

Wong Kwok-hing of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions said the government needs to review the quota and points system or some of the applicants may turn old by the time they receive a home.

Chan Hak-kan of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong urged the government to implement a housing policy targeting young people.

"The number is surprising. It shows that lots of young people cannot afford private housing," he said.

Under the current system, points are allotted according to one's age at the time of application, with zero for 18-year-olds and three points for every year after.

According to the Housing Department, there are 152,400 on the waiting list for public rental accommodation.

The federation urged the government provide 33,000 public housing units and 6,000 Home Ownership Scheme flats every year.

Federation president Ng Chau-pei said the the existence of subdivided flats demonstrates that many people cannot afford private housing.

Supply race on smaller flats
The Standard
Friday, July 15, 2011

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The government plans to increase the supply of small- and medium-sized housing units as property prices soar.

Chief executive Donald Tsang Yam- kuen voiced the government's determination on the matter when he visited two Tung Chung plots yesterday.

One of the sites has size restrictions while the other is reserved for public housing development.

To meet "the housing needs of low- income families and individuals, we would continue to identify suitable sites for public housing ... [with] an average waiting time of three years," Tsang said.

Two weeks ago, Tsang also visited an industrial site in Fo Tan earmarked for Home Ownership Scheme projects.

Of the two Tung Chung plots, Area 55a, at 273,403 square feet, is the largest size-restricted site put on the market this year and will be sold by tender.

It will provide at least 2,020 units, of which 1,650 must be sized between 377 and 484 sq ft, with the rest measuring 484 to 646 sq ft.

Cheung Kong (0001), Sun Hung Kai Properties (0016), Nan Fung, and Hong Kong Resort International (0480) have already shown interest in the plot.

The other Tung Chung site, at Area 56, will be used for public housing.

The project, which is close to many private estates, has been opposed by some members of the District Council.

In a bid to get their support, the initial plan for 47-49 stories has been cut to 41, with built-in green facilities thrown in.

Meanwhile, tenders open today for an Oil Street plot expected to fetch HK$8 billion to HK$9.07 billion, or up to HK$ 12,000 per buildable square foot.

The 84,800 sq ft plot has a gross floor area of 755,600 sq ft.

Cheung Kong, Henderson Land (0012), Wheelock (0020), and KWah International (0173) have shown interest.

Meanwhile, more local lenders raised their mortgage rates.

Standard Chartered Bank (2888) raised its HIBOR-based rate to HIBOR plus 1.7-2.2 percent from HIBOR plus 1.5-2 percent earlier, while prime-based rates were raised to prime minus 2.5-2.8 percent from prime minus 2.75-3.1 percent. The new rates take effect today.

This follows hikes by HSBC and Bank of China (HK) (2388) last week.

Bank of Communications (3328) also lifted its Hong Kong interbank offered rate-based package to HIBOR plus 2 percent, effective from Monday.

This came as DBS Bank said it will quit the HIBOR market.

Alva To Yu-hung of DTZ Debenham Tie Leung expects deals for small and medium-size flats to drop 5-10 percent in the second half, as cooling measures and higher mortgage rates bite.

At what price a revived HOS?
The Standard
Thursday, June 30, 2011

With local home prices surging, the longshelved Home Ownership Scheme is on the table again. Despite the public's loud call for resumption of the subsidized housing program, it remains unclear whether it can help cool the hot property market.

The number of flats to be supplied each year along with pricing are also controversial. The way the market constantly changes, there is no assurance new flats can be built fast enough for supply to meet demand.

Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing Duncan Pescod said the construction of new HOS flats may take up to seven years. Pescod's projection enraged members of the Housing Authority, who called for a timetable of five years.

"It will take at least five years for the government to build these flats, and they would not have an impact on the market until the supply is realized," said Ricky Poon Wai-ki, residential sales executive director of Colliers International.

Ever since Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen hinted earlier this month about the possibility of resuming the HOS, secondary property deals in the 50 major residential projects plunged about 50 percent to 150 deals, with prices falling about 2 percent, according to Ricacorp Properties.

Meanwhile, many vendors have slashed 5 to 10 percent off their asking prices.

But rather than the HOS factor, Poon attributed the drop-off in transactions more to the higher downpayments recently mandated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

"Think about it, if a sharp decline is what the government had intended, it would have released to the market the few thousand HOS flats that are available right now. That would be a direct hit on property prices," Poon said.

According to Ricacorp, there are still 200 to 300 existing unsold HOS flats in the government's inventory.

"Of course, where to build these flats is also the key. Land plots in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island are very scarce now. So really, the new HOS flats will have to be in the New Territories," Poon said.

However, he noted that as evident at some recent land auctions, plots in places like Yuen Long have become popular among private developers - making it even more difficult for the government to find the right new locations.

In addition, some people believe the resumption of HOS flats could further exacerbate the shortage of land available for the private market. This would translate into the supply of new homes failing to meet ever-rising demand - therefore boosting property prices even higher.

According to Sing Tao Daily, sister publication of The Standard, the government plans to pick new HOS sites from the application list, with several plots in Tseung Kwan O and Tuen Mun becoming the most likely potential locations.

Before the subsidized home scheme was halted due to the housing slump in 2003, the government sold such flats to eligible low-income residents at prices far below the overall market. Discounts usually ran from 30 to 40 percent, with subsidies also provided on land value.

Poon said the key to pricing HOS flats lies in making them affordable to the low-income population.

"A 30 to 40 percent discount would be a reasonable range. HOS flats are meant for those who cannot afford the private flats on the market, such as the group who previously lived in public rental housing. So if you price these flats too high, no one in that group would be able to afford the flats," Poon said.

But Eddie Hui Chi-man, deputy director of the Research Centre for Construction and Real Estate Economics at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, remains dubious about the price range.

"With home prices currently shooting so high, and probably still surging, it is questionable to judge whether pricing the flats at a 30 percent discount is too high or too low," Hui said, adding the government faces a tough job in deciding on the pricing that will be satisfactory to the public.

While the HOS restricts the resale of the homes in the secondary market to low-income residents, it doesn't necessarily mean such flats can be had cheaply. As well, owners can offer to sell their HOS flats to the public by paying a small premium.

Earlier this month, a 587-square- foot HOS flat in Kornhill Garden fetched HK$4.77 million, or HK$8,123 per square foot - the highest psf price ever paid for a HOS flat in the territory. Current prices at the project average HK$7,500 psf.

Also, the portion dedicated to green form applicants (those currently living in public housing), and white form applicants (those who meet the income requirement but who haven't got a flat yet) also remains an issue.

To encourage more public housing tenants to vacate their current flats to accommodate those in the lowest income bracket, 80 percent of the HOS applications is dedicated to the green form group.

Some think that more should be given to the white form applicants, and the household income threshold should be lifted from the current HK$27,000 a month, so that more people will be eligible to apply for the HOS.

HA Chairman visits Kai Tak
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Government Press Release

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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The Chairman of the Housing Authority (HA), Ms Eva Cheng, visited the Kai Tak Development Area and Choi Fook Estate in Kowloon East today (July 28) to keep herself updated on the public rental housing (PRH) project and to understand the living environment of public housing tenants in the area.

Ms Cheng first visited the large PRH project at Kai Tak, which has green coverage of 30 per cent.

Located at the north apron of the former Kai Tak Airport, the PRH development comprises two sites. Site 1A covers 3.47 hectares and will produce about 5 200 flats scheduled for completion by early 2013. Site 1B covers 5.7 hectares and will provide about 8 100 flats scheduled for completion in three phases from 2013 onwards. The two sites in total will provide a green living environment in the urban area for nearly 34 000 people.

Embracing the green concept, the Kai Tak PRH project has adopted a number of environmental features such as a photo-voltaic system utilising renewable energy, energy-efficient light fittings and a rainwater harvesting and plant irrigation system.

Recycled materials have also been widely used for construction works. These innovative moves include the use of marine mud excavated from the site mixed with small amount of cement for in-situ backfilling and for production of pavers. These initiatives can avoid the disposal of marine mud by dumping and land filling. Emission of CO2 created by transportation for dumping can also be eliminated.

The green treatment of marine mud for in-situ backfilling initiated by the HA has been awarded the Champion Environmental Paper by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Other green initiatives include establishing on-site concrete-batching plants and the adoption of prefabricated components such as precast bathrooms and kitchens, facades and staircases. These arrangements can streamline work procedures and reduce raw material wastage by a substantial amount.

The Kai Tak PRH project occupies a prime location and is well connected with the neighbouring areas by public transportation and footbridges. It is within only a 10-minute walk from the future Kai Tak Station of the Shatin-Central Link.

Ms Cheng then visited a retired couple at Choi Fook Estate in Ngau Tau Kok. They told Ms Cheng that their living environment had improved significantly after they moved into the estate from their old tenement flat at Ma Tau Wai. The two 70-year-olds made a special commendation on the barrier-free facilities in the estate, which they said had rendered tremendous convenience to their daily life. Conveniently connected by minibuses and the MTR station, the new home has made "aging in place" possible for the couple. They were allocated the existing PRH unit in less than two years under the Elderly Priority Scheme as both of them were over 60 when they submitted their application.

List to be tapped for new HOS flats
23 June 2011
The Standard

Some of the sites from the application list will be used to build Home Ownership Scheme flats in the future, a government source told Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard.

From the latest application list, several plots in Tseung Kwan O and Tuen Mun are most likely to be potential sites for such flats.

In Tseung Kwan O, there are three plots of residential land _ Tseung Kwan O Area 66A, Area 77C1 and 66D1 _ with a total site area of 245,094 square feet. But pricing of future HOS flats poses a challenge.

``If flats are sold for 60-70 percent of the price of one in the private sector, which is how they were usually priced before, it will be too high,'' said Eddie Hui Chi-man, deputy director of Polytechnic University's Research Centre for Construction and Real Estate Economics. ``The government should decide on a clear target group that it aims to help and consider their income level, before deciding on the volume and price of the flats.''

Meanwhile, the Housing Authority plans to meet earlier than originally scheduled to discuss resumption of HOS construction. Some members have suggested turning some public housing buildings into HOS flats.

Henderson Land (0012) chairman Lee Shau-kee said it will not hurt the market if a small number of HOS flats are built, but he supports the idea of revitalizing old buildings.

According to Centaline Realty, transactions of HOS flats fell 24.6 percent in the first half of 2011 from a year ago to 4,090 _ the lowest during the past two years. Some HK$8.59 billion worth of transactions were recorded, down from HK$8.94 billion a year ago.

``Measures to curb the market since last year have hit buyers hard. It has also made them reluctant to purchase flats. With the recent hike in property prices and mortgage rates, buyers are now more cautious, which has also slowed down the HOS market,'' said Centaline research director Wong Leung-sing.

Since January, HOS homes priced between HK$2 million and HK$3 million recorded 1,682 deals.

Nice Tower with a distance but do not zoom your camera...... ughhhhh!

Hung Hom Estate Phase 2 Redevelopment
7/24

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HOS flat owners back in heaven
The Standard
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Home Ownership Scheme flat owners are the happiest among the gamut of property owners, a survey has found.

Respondents weren't asked the exact reason for their happiness, but there are some fairly obvious explanations.

Some believe the fact HOS flats were bought at discounts of up to 40 percent, with many of them located in urban areas, may have something to do with their owners' positive state of mind, as they shoulder lighter mortgage payments.

In contrast, public housing tenants have to pay rent indefinitely, and higher rents if their income rises.

Another possible reason is that HOS flats are subject to land premium repayment if they change hands.

And as most of the units have two or three bedrooms, providing adequate living space, many owners don't need to consider trading up for bigger flats in the private market - leaving them with more disposable income.

Still another plausible explanation is that after the government suspended the scheme in 2003, HOS flats became a rare commodity, attracting both green form and other buyers, and their values are rising faster than properties in the private market.

Naturally, this is also conducive to their owners' contentment.

This is true even for owners of HOS flats in West Kowloon, who bought at high prices, and saw their homes turn into negative assets, or were foreclosed on when the market slumped.

But as West Kowloon has become a hot area, with property values in the private market soaring, the prices of HOS
flats are going along for the merry ride.

This well surpassed the expectations of owners when they were struggling in a depressed market a few years back.

The value of HOS flats goes up and down with the overall property market. In 1998, when supply exceeded demand, the property market plunged, and HOS flat owners were worse off, as the units are subject to selling restrictions.

But the government's subsequent move to halt HOS construction has brought the owners back to heaven from hell. Siu Sai-wo is chief editor of Sing Tao Daily

On the march for living space
The Standard
Monday, August 15, 2011

About 500 people defied the heat to march against high living costs and to demand more public housing.

Protesters who rallied at the government headquarters in Central said leaders have done little to help people fight inflation and flat prices are too high.

The action was organized by the New Territories Association of Societies.

The protest took place as a survey of 100 subdivided flats showed increased rents make hard living even harder.

The survey by the Society for Community Organization between June and July revealed an average rent increase of 23.3 percent for subdivided flats.

It found the average flat to be about eight square meters with a rent of HK$2,300. But the average income of residents is HK$7,000 a month. And more than 60 percent of respondents said their pay has not risen for three years.

Organization director Ho Hei-wah, who pointed to more than 100,000 people living in subdivided units, said 30-40 percent of respondents' income goes on rent and utility bills, leaving little for food and their children.

He called for a monthly subsidy of HK$1,000 for those in so-called "cage homes," and urged the government to build more public housing for the ever-increasing number that need it.

At present, the government provides 15,000 public housing units every year, and Ho said this needs to be 35,000.

The government, he added, makes money selling land to developers and overlooks the need for public housing.

Cheung Mei-lai, 69, lives in a subdivided unit of 7sqm in Tai Kwok Tsui. She pays HK$1,600 a month in rent, but this is rising to HK$2,000. Her only income is social security assistance of HK$3,800 "and I have to buy food," she said yesterday. "What can I do?"

Gary Sin Siu-sung, 47, and his wife and two children have 8sqm of a subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po. He pays HK$4,000 for rent and utilities but makes only HK$7,000 a month.

"We have to eat less and we don't have much money for our children," he said. "They stay home at weekends."

sabrán que en chile es el cobre??

HOS plan takes radio hit
The Standard
Friday, October 14, 2011

People have started picking holes in housing initiatives, saying new policies heavily favor families seeking flats under the Home Ownership Scheme.

Callers to a radio program yesterday highlighted a major deficiency that they say allows homeowners to speculate.

Under the HOS plan, the Housing Authority subsidy is deemed a loan, which owners must repay before selling a property.

Owners may repay the subsidy and pocket the difference if they attract a higher price in the open market. This would mean they stand to benefit from public subsidizes for a first home.

Some callers suggested that owners be prohibited from selling for 10 years.

On Wednesday, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, said the housing policies aim to aid first-time buyers.

Transport and Housing Secretary Eva Cheng Yu-wah advised against premature observations. "I hope you don't jump to conclusions on fairness too soon," she said, as affordability was a consideration.

And the Housing Authority will consider public opinion and draft conditions for resales.

Even industry professionals noted weaknesses in the plan.

A member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Stephen Chan Jing-yan, said new buyers "can probably benefit more" than existing owners.

Real Estate Developers Association executive committee chairman Steward Leung Chi-kin said HOS flats may not meet immediate demand considering the number that has been proposed.

Thomas Lam Tat-man, general manager of the sales department at Henderson Land (0012), said the HOS broadens choices rather than being an unfavorable factor. "The HOS is not likely to bring competition to the private market, and it should not have any impact on property prices," he said.

Meanwhile, six plots were designated for the first batch of HOS units. Three are in Sha Tin and the rest in Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi and Yuen Long. These plots may provide 2,500 HOS flats by 2016.

Flats in Sha Tin would be the most attractive, said Ringo Lam Chun-chiu, a director of AG Wilkinson & Associates. If the flat were to be sold in the private market, he said, "prices could reach HK$7,000-HK$8,000 per square foot. People can now buy them for about HK$4,000 psf."

HOS flats at the three other sites could cost HK$3,000-HK$4,800 per buildable square foot, with sale prices between HK$5,000 and HK$7,000 psf.

New HOS flats will be restricted to families who have not owned any property in the 10 years before applying.

Tang, Leung dispute tall order on public housing
The Standard
Monday, October 17, 2011

The two expected chief executive contestants set out their housing vision yesterday at separate venues in Sham Shui Po, one of the SAR's poorest districts.

Former Executive Council convener Leung Chun-ying said the government should build 35,000 public housing flats a year - more than double its annual target of 15,000 units.

"That target would be all right for the first two to three years ... This will not affect the property market," Leung said.

Meanwhile, former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen declined to comment on whether Leung's target is "unrealistic," or one made without careful thought. He said a concrete figure should be reached after more public discussion.

"If more are built, can we shorten [the average waiting time for public housing of] three years to two years? Should it be cut to two years, how many public housing flats should be built?" Tang asked.

"So the discussion should be whether we are aiming to shorten it from three years to two. If yes, how many flats should be [built]?"

In 1997, Leung came under fire for being behind the government's plan to build at least 85,000 public and private flats a year as a major plank in then-chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's policy address.

Tang now says the biggest challenge is to source land for housing.

"We must be innovative and use new perspectives in order to produce more land more quickly [with help from] the Town Planning Board and district councils for building more public housing, the Home Ownership Scheme, and private flats," Tang said.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng Yu-wah earlier stressed that families and the elderly should be assigned public flats first, while young people should seek opportunities to move upward in society, and should not deem themselves in need of public housing so soon.

On public calls for an universal retirement protection scheme, Leung said the retirement system should be reviewed, while Tang sidestepped the question.

Return to sale of public housing rejected
The Standard
Friday, October 28, 2011

The housing chief has rejected calls for the relaunch of a government scheme to sell public housing flats to tenants.

During the motion-of-thanks debate on the chief executive's final policy address, Eva Cheng Yu-wah said the recovery of public housing units is crucial to keep up supply. "If such flats are sold to tenants, they can never be allocated to those on the waiting list," she said.

"This will affect both circulation and supply. We have no plans to resume the Tenants Purchase Scheme at this stage."

In his October 12 address, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the Housing Authority plans to build 75,000 flats over the next five years, or 15,000 each year.

Amid calls to further boost supply, Cheng stressed that "an average of 15,000 new flats is not a strict index."

She said: "Our goal is to maintain the average waiting time of around three years for public housing applicants. The authority will review its five-year public- housing construction plan every year.

"If needed, it will adjust the number of flats to be built and increase supply to maintain the three-year average."

Facing criticism over proposed resale practices under the newly revised Home Ownership Scheme, Cheng said the authority will consider fairness and public acceptance when drawing up the details of the new mechanism.

She also dismissed fears that the proposed new way of calculating premium payable by a flat owner during resale may spur property speculation.

"The new HOS is to serve as a buffer by providing supply in addition to public and private housing. This scheme of increasing supply is definitely not meant to encourage property speculation."

LCQ6: Provision of public housing to grassroots
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Wing-tat and an oral reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, in the Legislative Council today (November 2):

Question：

It has been reported that when the Chief Executive attended a radio programme on October 19 this year, he said that the 2011-2012 Policy Address had endeavoured to solve the housing problem to provide housing for the grassroots. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of non-elderly one-person applicants aged 30 or above among the approximately 150 000 applications for public rental housing (PRH) at present; under the existing Quota and Points System (QPS), the average points of those applicants in the age groups of 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 who are allocated PRH; the respective numbers of years for which non-elderly one-person applicants aged 35 and those aged 45 who apply for PRH today will have to wait to obtain the points required for PRH allocation; and how the authorities will help them move into PRH flats as soon as possible;

(b) given that the authorities have indicated that they will appropriately increase the densities and plot ratios of PRH projects, and as the construction of additional new PRH flats will increase the supply of PRH and the resumption of the construction of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats will help vacate more old PRH flats for allocation, whether the authorities will reconsider re-launching the Tenants Purchase Scheme at an appropriate time to enable sitting PRH tenants to purchase their PRH flats; and

(c) whether the authorities have considered relaxing the resale restrictions in the HOS secondary market to allow eligible white form HOS applicants to apply to purchase those HOS flats, thereby enhancing the vibrancy of the HOS resale market and providing low and middle-income families with more opportunities to buy their own homes?

Reply：

President,

My answer to the three-part question is as follows:

The first part of the question:

The Housing Authority (HA)'s objective is to provide public rental housing (PRH) to low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation. To this end, the HA maintains a Waiting List (WL) of PRH applicants. HA's target is to maintain the Average Waiting Time (AWT) at around three years for general applicants.

As at end June 2011, there were 155 600 applications on the WL. Among them, about 66 600 applications were non-elderly one-person applications under the QPS. Among the 66 600 non-elderly one-person applications under the QPS, about 35 000 applicants (53%) were aged 30 or above.

The relative priority for PRH allocation to applicants under the QPS is determined by the number of points the applicants receive. Points are assigned to the applicants on the basis of their age at the time of submitting the PRH applications, the waiting time and whether they are PRH tenants. In general, the older the applicant and the longer the applicant has waited, the higher the number of points. The higher the number of points accumulated, the earlier an applicant will be offered a PRH flat.

Among non-elderly one-person applicants housed through the QPS in 2010/11, the average number of points for those aged 30 to 39 was 140 and the average number for those aged 40 to 49 was 142. However, the lowest number of points accumulated by applicants to be housed through the QPS will change from time to time and vary across districts, depending on the distribution of points among applicants as well as the overall demand and supply of PRH flats in individual districts. Accordingly, it is not possible to estimate how many points are required for applicants to be housed or how long would the applicants need to wait before they are housed.

Under the existing arrangements, apart from applying for PRH under the QPS, non-elderly one-person applicants can also apply for PRH as ordinary family applicants together with their family members. To encourage the younger generation to live together with their elderly members, the HA has introduced a number of enhanced housing arrangements to foster family harmony. Under the Harmonious Families Addition Scheme, eligible adult offspring may apply for addition to the tenancy of elderly tenants. Under the Harmonious Families Priority Scheme (HFPS), young people may apply with their elderly member(s) for a PRH flat and enjoy a six-month credit waiting time. Unlike the other non-elderly applicants, the applicants under the HFPS can apply for PRH flats in any districts, including the urban district. Eligible non-elderly one-person applicants with a pressing need for housing may apply under the Express Flat Allocation Scheme, or Compassionate Rehousing whereby with a recommendation from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) they may secure earlier allocation of PRH flats.

According to the latest Public Housing Construction Programme, in the coming five-year period from 2011/12 to 2015/16, the HA will build about 75 000 flats in total, i.e. an average of 15 000 PRH flats per year. It is estimated that this level of new production, together with the recovered flats from the existing stock, should continue to meet the policy objective of maintaining the AWT for general applicants at around three years.

However, the production of 15 000 new PRH units per year is not a fixed target. Our objective is to maintain the AWT for general applicants at around three years. To this end, the HA will roll forward and review the five-year Public Housing Construction Programme every year. When necessary, the HA will adjust and increase the production volume in order to keep the AWT for general applicants at around three years.

The second part of the question:

The Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) was introduced in 1998 by the HA to enable PRH tenants to buy the flats they lived in at a discounted price, thereby helping to achieve the then policy objective of attaining a home ownership rate of 70% in Hong Kong in ten years' time.

In 2002, the Government re-positioned the housing policies, and decided to focus on the provision of PRH to low-income families who cannot afford private rental accommodation, with a target of maintaining the AWT for general WL applicants at around three years. As there was no longer a target for home ownership, there were no longer any grounds for continuing the TPS. Accordingly, the HA decided to cease the sale of PRH flats upon the completion of Phases 6A and 6B of the TPS.

We do not have any plans at this stage to re-launch the TPS. There are two main considerations –

First, recovered flats are an important source of public housing supply for WL applicants. There are currently over 150 000 applicants on the WL for PRH. PRH flats, once sold to the tenants, will not be returned to the HA for re-allocation, thereby affecting the turnover and supply of PRH flats and undermining the HA's ability to maintain the AWT of general applicants at around three years.

Moreover, since the introduction of the TPS, the HA has encountered many problems with the management of PRH flats in TPS estates. In the 39 TPS estates, there are some 64 000 rental flats (representing 35% of the total number of flats in the TPS estates). Regardless of the number of flats sold, a TPS estate, as in the case of any private development, is managed by its Owners' Corporation (OC). Empowered by the Building Management Ordinance and the Deed of Mutual Covenant, the OC will decide on the mode of management and how the public areas of an estate are to be managed. In the TPS estates, the HA's estate management policies cannot be fully implemented. As a result, tenants living in the TPS estates and those living in the PRH estates are subject to different management regimes. For example, the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement is not implemented in the public areas of the TPS estates. The HA can only deal with the misdeeds committed in rental flats of the TPS estates.

Although we do not intend to re-launch the TPS, under the current policy, the existing tenants in the TPS estates can still opt to buy the flats they are living in. PRH residents who would like to acquire a home may also choose to buy TPS and Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats with premium not yet paid in the secondary market.

The third part of the question:

The HOS secondary market allows the existing PRH tenants and other Green Formers to buy HOS flats with premium not yet paid. The objective is to provide them an avenue through which to attain home ownership and at the same time vacate more PRH units for allocation to persons in genuine need.

Allowing those who qualify for White Form status to purchase HOS flats with premium not yet paid on the HOS secondary market requires detailed consideration, including whether the proposal aligns with the objectives of HOS secondary market, which are to promote the mobility of PRH tenants and at the same time to recover PRH units for reallocation. Other issues include whether the supply of HOS flats can effectively match with the demand. All these would have to be looked at carefully.

Nevertheless, in response to the aspirations of low and middle-income families to buy their own homes, the Chief Executive has put forward two buffering measures, including a new policy for the resumption of the HOS and enhancement of the "My Home Purchase Plan" ("MHPP"). Those who are interested to apply may choose to do so in accordance with their own needs and affordability.

To conclude, the Government will continue to uphold its long-term commitment of providing PRH to low income families and persons who cannot afford private rental accommodation, by completing at present around 15 000 PRH units on average per year to meet the target of maintaining an AWT of three years for general WL applicants. However, as I have just mentioned, the production of 15 000 new PRH units per year is not a fixed target. The objective is to maintain the AWT for general applicants at around three years. When necessary, the HA will increase the production volume in order to keep the AWT for general applicants at around three years.

For households with plans to acquire homes, there are diversified choices on the housing ladder, including HOS flats with premium not yet paid on the secondary market, HOS flats with premium paid on the open market, new HOS flats or MHPP flats, and flats of different prices on the private market, including those at prices that are affordable by the general public. Overall, there are choices at various levels on the housing ladder for the prospective buyers. Those who aspire to acquire homes can flexibly arrange their plans to acquire home ownership depending on their individual economic and family circumstances.

Kai Tak public housing project adopts low carbon construction initiatives
Friday, November 11, 2011
Government Press Release

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Housing blocks under construction with precast concrete components.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

Low carbon construction initiatives have substantially reduced carbon emissions during the construction stage of a major public housing project by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) at Kai Tak.

Officiating at today's (November 11) ceremony to promote such initiatives, the Director of Housing, Mr D W Pescod said, "The low carbon construction measures adopted by our Kai Tak Site 1A housing project could reduce carbon emissions by about 54 000 tons (24 per cent) during construction, or the amount of carbon absorbed by over 2 000 000 trees a year.

"We aim to push forward sustainable construction techniques in our industry through adopting these low carbon construction measures in our public housing developments," he added.

The Kai Tak Site 1A housing project has adopted a number of environment-friendly features such as a photo-voltaic system utilising renewable energy, energy-efficient light fittings, and a rainwater harvesting and plant irrigation system.

Recycled materials have been widely used for construction works. These innovative moves include the use of marine mud excavated from the site mixed with a small amount of cement for in-situ backfilling and for production of pavers. By so doing, there is no need to dispose of marine mud by dumping and land filling. Carbon dioxide emissions created by transportation for dumping can also be eliminated.

The green treatment of marine mud for in-situ backfilling initiated by the HA has been awarded the Champion Environmental Paper by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award this year.

Other green initiatives include wider adoption of prefabricated components such as volumetric precasting of bathrooms and kitchens, in addition to precast facades and staircases. These arrangements can streamline workflow on site and reduce wastage of raw materials by a substantial amount. To further reduce air-pollution during construction, electric vehicles and bio-diesels are used on site.

The HA and the main contractor of the Kai Tak Site 1A housing project, China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Ltd have jointly produced CD-Roms and brochures featuring the low carbon construction initiatives for sharing with the industry.

The Kai Tak Site 1A public housing development covers 3.47 hectares and will provide about 5 200 flats scheduled for completion by early 2013. It will provide a green living environment for around 13 000 people with "homes in the park".

Housing Authority sets rents for two new estates
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Government Press Release

The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

Rents for 8 292 flats in 11 non-standard blocks of the Housing Authority (HA)'s two new public rental housing (PRH) estates to be completed in the first half of next year will be set at the current best rent level of the urban district.

The district best rent at $58.6 per square metre per month for flats in the urban district will apply to the 4 054 flats at Shek Kip Mei Estate Phases 2 and 5 and the 4 238 flats at Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate Phase 1.

"Under this rent fixing exercise, over 88 per cent of the flats are set at a rent level below $1,900 per month," a spokesman for the HA said today (November 1), adding that PRH rents, which are inclusive of rates, management and maintenance costs, are heavily subsidised.

"PRH applicants who are allocated new flats but cannot afford the rents may request refurbished flats at lower rents. They may also apply for assistance under the Rent Assistance Scheme for the refurbished flats where applicable," the spokesman added.

To build up the building is very tall

scary looking blocks, not that nice. just blocks

nice tenements, very colourful.

More flats to rise out of rubble at old estate
The Standard
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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About a third of Pak Tin Estate in Shek Kip Mei will be redeveloped to provide more public rental flats.

Under the plan, to start next year, 3,500 units in eight blocks will be demolished in three phases and replaced by 5,650 new homes by 2026.

The first 950 affected households of blocks 1, 2, 3 and 12 will be moved to public rental housing in neighboring areas or in the district of their choice, subject to availability of suitable vacant flats.

New flats in phases two and five, to be completed by the middle of this year, will serve to mainly rehouse the 950 affected Pak Tin residents.

The second phase will clear the Pak Tin Commercial Centre by 2017, followed by residential blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13 by 2022.

Completed blocks in the first phase will provide some 1,400 flats for displaced residents when the final phase of redevelopment takes place.

A source denied the buildings to be redeveloped are structurally unsound or too expensive to repair. "The move is in line with the 2011-12 policy address to open up new sites and explore ways to achieve the production target for public rental housing," the source said. "By redeveloping the estate, densities and plot ratios can be drastically increased by adding 2,150 more units."

Since Pak Tin is a relatively old estate with a large number of senior residents, a dedicated Community Service Team will be established to act as a bridge between the Housing Authority and the affected tenants to smoothen the clearance process.

But the source declined to provide a cost estimate, saying the redevelopment plan has yet to be confirmed and approved by the Strategic Planning Committee of the Housing Authority.

One resident welcomed the redevelopment, saying her block is 34 years old and is showing signs of wear and tear.

She added it is stressful to walk up the stairs as her block has no lift.

But a shop tenant, surnamed Ng, who sells shoes in Pak Tin Commercial Centre, fears he may lose his regular customers if he has to move.

He also expects rents to increase once work is completed.

The eight blocks in Pak Tin are among the 20 that were built between 1975 and 1979.

Partial redevelopment of Pak Tin Estate
Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The Housing Department (HD) announced today (April 17) that the older portion of Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po, comprising eight residential blocks and a commercial centre, will be redeveloped in phases, starting in 2013-14.

"The redevelopment plan was approved by the Strategic Planning Committee of the Housing Authority (HA), having considered the build-back potential of the aged portion of the estate in addition to its structural conditions and the cost for comprehensive repair," an HD spokesman said.

This move by the HA echoes the announcement by the Chief Executive in the 2011-12 Policy Address that, in order to achieve the production target for public rental housing, the Government needs to open up new sites and explore ways to appropriately increase the densities and plot ratios of public rental housing projects without compromising the living environment. There have also been calls from the local community to redevelop the older part of Pak Tin Estate.

The aged portion of Pak Tin Estate includes Blocks 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the Pak Tin Commercial Centre. They were built between 1975 and 1979, and contain about 3,500 flats. Upon redevelopment there will be about 5,650 flats, with a net increase of about 2,150 flats.

"In order to minimise disruption to the community, the HA will adopt a phased clearance approach. We will first clear the existing Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 12 in 2013-14, followed by the Pak Tin Commercial Centre in 2016-17 and then Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13 by 2021-22.

"For the HA's estate clearance operations, the HA will identify suitable rehousing accommodation for affected tenants to suit their needs. The HD will, as far as possible, allow the affected tenants to move to public rental housing flats in neighbouring areas or in the district of their choice, subject to availability of suitable vacant flats nearby. The new flats in Shek Kip Mei Estate Phases 2 and 5, which will be completed in the middle of this year, will be the primary rehousing resources to kick-start the redevelopment process.

"For tenants affected by the later phases of Pak Tin redevelopment, rehousing in the newly completed earlier phases of redevelopment can be considered, subject to availability of suitable resources therein," the spokesman added.

A dedicated Community Service Team will act as a bridge between the HA and the affected tenants to smoothen the clearance process. This would ease the potential anxiety of the tenants and maintain the neighbourhood network for the senior citizens.

Public housing under construction @ Cheung Sha Wan
By ll-s from a Hong Kong photography forum :

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New-look estate to offer prize homes
The Standard
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Housing Authority has announced that parts of Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po will be redeveloped and modernized.

As a public housing estate, Pak Tin is not as well known as either Wah Fu or Choi Hung, which have produced a good number of self- made millionaires and celebrities.

But Pak Tin's living environment is definitely superior, and may even be better than many private housing estates.

Pak Tin is part of a Sham Shui Po public housing cluster that is just a stone's throw away from the high-end residential areas of Yau Yat Chuen and Beacon Hill.

It is an example of putting public housing close to a luxury residential district - a policy dating from colonial days.

In terms of location and convenience, Pak Tin rivals luxury developments such as Sino Group's Dynasty Heights on Yin Ping Road, Beacon Hill, which sold for close to HK$10,000 per square foot a few years ago.

Situated midway up the hillside, Pak Tin commands a panoramic view of both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

The view is unobstructed because the area was in the flight path of the former Kai Tak airport and height restrictions meant buildings were kept under 10 stories.

On a clear day, you can see the entire northern shoreline of Hong Kong Island with its landmark sights like the HSBC main building and the International Financial Centre towers.

Set in a pleasant park and green belt, the estate is just a 10-minute walk from Shek Kip Mei MTR station.

With the relocation of the airport and the height restrictions lifted, taller buildings are now beginning to spring up in the vicinity.

But that should not affect the view of the estate, as its new blocks will also maximize their permissible plot ratio.

On the private market, such flats would easily cost HK$20,000 per square foot.

Anyone allotted a unit at the eight residential blocks to be redeveloped may count themselves the winner of a lottery!

Siu Sai-wo is chief editor of Sing Tao Daily

New Shek Kip Mei Estate
4/22

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Why does that sign say Shek Kip, what happened to Mei?

Why does that sign say Shek Kip, what happened to Mei?

There is "mei" there.

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OOOhhhh haha I thought that's Shek Kip Estate (Uk Churng). D'oh!

Public Housing construction next to Lung Mun Oasis in Tuen Mun :

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Tsang sticks to the plan on housing schemes
The Standard
Monday, August 06, 2012

The government plans to provide more than 60,000 public housing and Home Ownership Scheme flats in the next few years in a bid to maintain a healthy property market, the financial secretary said.

"The flats to be launched are expected to balance demand and supply in the short term," John Tsang Chun-wah wrote in his blog yesterday.

He said the government is also looking at turning industrial areas into residential use. A plot in Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan, was recently rezoned for public housing and is expected to provide 860 flats by 2016.

"The demand for industrial buildings is declining as Hong Kong shifts its economic model. Those areas are ideal for residential projects," Tsang wrote.

His message echoed that of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who over the weekend reiterated his commitment to resuming the HOS, saying the plan was "inked in bold characters" in his election manifesto.

Leung last week said the government is looking for new sites for HOS homes. This came after his promise last month that up to 5,000 white-formers - first- time home purchasers meeting the household income limit of HK$30,000 a month - will be allowed to buy HOS flats without paying a land premium.

That immediately pushed up transaction volume and prices of small- and medium-sized flats.

"New HOS homes will be launched in 2016 or 2017 at the earliest, which can provide 17,000 units in the first three years, or 5,000 units per year, " Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said on Saturday.

He expects speculation on HOS flats to ease as the new supplies come in.

But Cheung Kong (0001) and Hutchison Whampoa (0013) tycoon Li Ka- shing has voiced reservations about expanding the HOS supply, as real estate is a major contributor to government revenue.

"There is demand for HOS homes from the middle class, but the government will decide whether the [increased supply of] subsidized homes goes against Hong Kong's housing policy," Li said on Thursday.

However, Leung defended his HOS policy, saying the sale of these flats is also a source of government revenue.

Meanwhile, Tsang said the territory should make use of sites atop and near MTR stations to build more homes.

"Great synergy will come into effect by combining railways and homes," Tsang wrote, noting that several sites in the Tsuen Wan West Station area can provide a total of 6,000 units.

MTR Corp (0066) relaunched the tender for its Tsuen Wan West Bayside residential development last month after suspending it in January when bids missed the reserve price. Rebids are being accepted until Wednesday.

Tsang also said the government is considering a total of 2,500 hectares for residential projects, about 10 percent of of the SAR's already developed land.

Homes action
The Standard
Friday, August 31, 2012

New steps to cool the red-hot housing market were announced yesterday as Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying presented a package of 10 short and medium-term measures.

In the longer term, Leung said, the Lands Department and Department of Justice are looking into formulating the legal framework for the "Hong Kong land for Hong Kong people" policy which he pledged during the chief executive election.

Initially, there will be five short-term measures:

The sale of 830 Home Ownership Scheme surplus flats, 825 of which are at Tin Chung Court in Tin Shui Wai. Applications will begin early next year.

The 1,000 units in Tsing Yi originally planned for the "rent-to-buy" program - also known as My Home Purchase Plan - by the Hong Kong Housing Society will be sold to buyers earning HK$40,000 or less a month at a discount to the market price. Details will be given later.

Applications for pre-sale consent will be speeded up to release 65,000 flats in the private market over the next three to four years.

Sites providing 2,650 flats will be included in the land sale program for October to December. About 1,760 of the flats are from six sites and no fewer than 894 are from the MTR's residential project at the Tsuen Wan West station on the West Rail Line.

A Chai Wan industrial building will be converted into a public rental block of 180 units next year. The Urban Renewal Authority will launch two pilot schemes next year to redevelop industrial buildings into flats and commercial offices.

Leung said the government is concerned about the heated property market, given the sluggish global economy and high liquidity in international markets.

"We will closely monitor the property market and at an appropriate time we will launch more initiatives" to meet citizens' housing needs, he said.

The government has decided to sell the flats under "a rent-to-buy" scheme to address housing needs immediately.

Housing minister Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said people who want to buy the surplus HOS flats in Tin Chung Court will not be affected by management fee disputes between the incumbent owners' committee and the Housing Authority. The authority will take responsibility if the case goes to court.

Five medium-term steps are:

The government wants to sell the remaining 4,000 "rent-to-buy" scheme units planned by the previous administration.

The URA's Kai Tak sites marked for flat swaps in redevelopment projects will be handed over to Housing Authority for HOS projects.

A leisure site in Cheung Sha Wan will be used for 2,300 public rental homes so the provision of such units can be put forward two years.

A total of 36 sites, zoned for "government, institution and community" uses, will be used for private and public housing projects to provide about 11,900 units.

Town planning procedures will be streamlined to speed up Housing Authority and URA projects to rejuvenate industrial buildings for homes.

Leung said the the legal framework for a "Hong Kong land for Hong Kong people" policy, under which developers can sell flats only to Hongkongers, is being examined.

Leung said a new steering committee led by Cheung will look into housing needs of different sectors.

Public housing U/C in Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon :

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PC-Nikkor 35mm f./2.8 Test Photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/raymondwchan/8150239642/) by Raymond W Chan (http://www.flickr.com/people/raymondwchan/), on Flickr


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PC-Nikkor 35mm f./2.8 Test Photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/raymondwchan/8150213339/) by Raymond W Chan (http://www.flickr.com/people/raymondwchan/), on Flickr

Options weighed in boosting public flats
The Standard
Monday, November 12, 2012

Calls to convert some plots on the land application list into sites for public housing will be prudently considered, the secretary for development said.

Paul Chan Mo-po emphasized that it is not an easy task as a balance has to be struck between the private and public flats supplies.

"We won't be reckless in slanting in favor of public housing," he added.

His remarks came days after he told lawmakers "it might be possible" to transform part of plots on the list that are considered to be less appealing into sites for Home Ownership Scheme flats and public housing, much like what was done during the previous administration.

Four plots on the list were earmarked for public housing by then secretary for development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet- ngor, now the chief secretary.

Chan said he is also paying close attention to the tight supply in the private market, stressing policies for private and public home supplies should be "balanced carefully."

One of the options to increase supply is to convert "36 government, institution or community" sites into residential sites, which can generate 11,900 homes, of which about 7,000 are public housing units, the government announced earlier.

Chan promised to provide more details about this to the Legislative Council next Wednesday, as well as more information on plans to assure a supply of 15,000 public units and 20,000 private homes a year in the future.

Meanwhile, Centaline Property Agency chairman Shih Wing-ching warned that property prices will continue to soar if sites for the private market are converted into public housing.

"The government should raise the plot ratio of those newly constructed flats in the urban areas to raise property developers' willingness to develop in the city," he added.

Also, he said the new buyers' stamp duties and the extended special stamp duties have posed a big impact on the private market.

"But these can only help in the short term and do not do anything about the supply," he added.

Lawrence Poon Wing-cheung, housing panel chairman at the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, also warned of taking away plots from the private market supply.

He emphasized that demand in public housing will still not be fulfilled if flats are built in inconvenient places.

Cheung Sha Wan
By Dennis Cheung (http://www.facebook.com/td618) :

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Public Housing Construction @ Cheung Sha Wan

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Flats for Cheung Sha Wan site
The Standard
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Planning Department has proposed the conversion of four sites in Cheung Sha Wan, with one of them being used for the construction of 2,300 public housing flats by 2019.

The proposal has gained the support of most Sham Shui Po District Council members.

The department has chosen a 269,098-square-foot recreational site at Tonkin Street, north of Lai Chi Kok Road, for residential development.

It is one of the short-to-medium term housing measures announced by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying last year.

About 2,300 public housing flats are expected to be built on the site, with a maximum land plot ratio of six.

The development should not be higher than 100 meters, the same as the height stipulation for the neighboring Lai Kok Estate.

The development would mean relocation of a golf driving range.

A 247,570-sq-ft site at Hing Wah Street, south of Lai Chi Kok Road, would be taken for recreational development in its place. The government-owned Wang Cheong Building, Wang Cheong Factory Estate and Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market are currently on the site.

Also, another smaller plot originally designated for "government, institution or community" use was proposed for private housing development.

The site at Fuk Wing Street and Fuk Wah Street, only yields 23,681 sq ft. It is currently a temporary public car park.

Commercial properties, meanwhile, will be built on a 16,194-sq-ft site at Cheung Sha Wan Road, replacing some government premises.

Land plot ratio for the site is up to 12. District council members were in agreement with the plan to boost housing supply.

A two-month public consultation will be conducted.

Little confidence over CY housing promise
The Standard
Thursday, January 31, 2013

Half the population believe new housing promised in the policy address will not be enough to meet demand, whether at the grassroots level or higher.

That is according to a survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which also found nearly 40 percent are not confident that the government will be able to implement the housing policy set out by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in his maiden policy address on January 16.

The promised supply of 15,000 public housing flats each year until 2017 will not close the housing gap, half the 780 respondents said, while only 15 percent believed it would.

Just one in five was confident that the policy on public housing could be implemented.

Half of those polled also said that the promised addition of 1,000 Home Ownership Scheme flats each year until 2017 and 5,000 flats from 2018 to 2020 will fall short of demand.

On public housing, only one in five believed the government will be able to reach the HOS goals stated in the address. Moreover, half of those surveyed also doubted whether housing problems can indeed be solved by giving over industrial and community areas as well as green zones for residential use in the short term.

Nearly 40 percent were not confident that developing new towns and reclamation outside Victoria Harbour would serve long-term housing needs.

Victor Zheng Wan-tai, associate director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at Chinese University, said housing and land supply policies are complicated as they involve the interests of different parties.

"The results [of the survey] show that residents still have little confidence although the chief executive has made efforts toward solving housing problems in his address," Zheng said.

"It shows the chief executive lacks public support and that residents are aware that housing problems are too complicated to be easily solved."

Housing problems have been a difficult issue that will not be solved within a short period of time, Zheng added.

He said the government has failed to win public confidence in housing policies it has generally been highly focused on.

Rezoned sites to provide 3,000 flats
The Standard
Wednesday, February 06, 2013

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A golf driving range and an open car park are to be rezoned to build nearly 3,000 public and subsidized flats, the Transport and Housing Bureau said.

A 2.3-hectare site in Sham Shui Po on Lai Chi Kok Road and Tonkin Street, currently used for golf practice, is to be redeveloped into six blocks of 2,300 public rental housing flats by 2019.

Similarly, the car park on Choi Hing Road, Ngau Tau Kok, which has a total area of 33,000 square meters, will provide 600 Home Ownership Scheme flats when completed in 2017.

The bureau also announced it will advance the completion of two public housing projects in Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun by one year, from 2017-18 to 2016-17. The two projects will provide 3,400 flats.

Speaking after visiting the two sites yesterday afternoon, Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said: "As there is a huge demand for housing in the community, the government's main policy is to ensure that there will be a continuous supply of housing ... We will continue to seek appropriate land sites."

Cheung said the Housing Authority will evaluate the transport infrastructure and environmental impact in the two districts before going ahead and developing the public housing and HOS flats.

Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po said the Ngau Tau Kok site - originally designated for a secondary school - will be used to build HOS flats after the Education Bureau dropped plans to build a school there.

Chan said another site will be allocated for the school if one is needed in Ngau Tau Kok in future.

Wong Kwan, chairman of the Federation of Public Housing Estates, said public housing flats at the Ngau Tau Kok site were more appropriate as there would be wet markets in the area.

In a paper submitted to Legco, two public housing projects, in Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun, will involve 3,400 flats, increasing the supply of public housing from 75,600 flats to 79,000 flats from fiscal year 2012-13 to 2016-17.

The authority has successfully worked with other departments and bureaux to identify suitable sites for HOS development and to ensure that a total of 17,000 HOS units will be completed in the four years from 2016-17.

These include the Kai Tak site and four of the former My Home Purchase Plan sites in Choi Hung, Diamond Hill, Ma On Shan and Tai Po districts.

Lay of the land
The Standard Excerpt
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Less land will be available on the application list as more sites will be designated for public housing.

This is what Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah will reveal in his budget speech tomorrow, according to a source.

The government is aiming to build more public homes in the 2013-14 fiscal year amid increasing demand and the difficulties in relaunching the Home Ownership Scheme.

For the current fiscal year, 24 sites - good for about 30,000 homes - have been placed on the application list. For the previous fiscal year, 18 sites were allocated.

Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po earlier said the government will prudently consider converting some plots meant for the application list into sites for public housing.

But he also emphasized that it is not an easy task as a balance has to be struck between the supply of private and public flats.

To realize the target supply of 20,000 private homes a year, the government will continue to explore other sites in the city, the source said.

Also, flat and size stipulations will be attached to more sites for the private market in order to provide more small to medium-sized homes.

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Fewer private flats as focus turns to public
The Standard
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Four thousand fewer private homes are likely to be built in the 2013-14 fiscal year, despite soaring demand, as the property market's focus turns to public housing.

A total of 46 sites - of which 28 are new - will be included in the land application list for building 13,600 private homes, John Tsang revealed.

They are part of the 25,800 private homes on which construction will start during the current 2013-14 fiscal year, after taking all major sources of land supply into account, including projects initiated by the MTR Corp (0066) and the Urban Renewal Authority.

The government targeted the building of 30,000 private homes for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

Also, Tsang expects 24,000 homes to be put up for sale this year, including 20,000 uncompleted units.

In addition, 4,000 more public housing units will be built within the next four years.

Around 17,000 Home Ownership Scheme flats are likely to be constructed by 2017.

"We may consider converting some sites in the application list for public housing which property developers are not that interested in," Tsang said after presenting his budget speech.

Meanwhile, nine sites have been designated for commercial/ business use with a total floor area of about 3.55 million square feet. Also, a site on Garden Road where the Murray Building is located could be turned into a hotel, consisting of up to 300 rooms.

In addition, Grade-A office space in the central business district will rise after government departments are relocated.

The three government buildings in Wan Chai, measuring 1.88 million sq ft, will be rented out first and may even be put up for sale in due course.

Meanwhile, Tsang emphasized that the government will continue to explore new development areas in speeding up the supply of land.

The government earned HK$69 billion from land premiums in the last financial year.

But the government's Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee member Andy Kwan Cheuk-chiu warned home prices would continue to rise in the coming two to three years as the budget contained few new measures.

Kwan suggested the government put up more land for sale and tender in the coming three to six months.

New World Development (0017) chairman Henry Cheng Kar-shun said it takes years to build homes.

More cooling measures may be needed should the market heat up within the coming one to two years.

They are very nice.