Provisional LegCo
Panel on Housing

Purpose

This note informs members of the provision of public housing for the elderly.

Number of elderly applicants on the waiting list and the average waiting time

2. As at February 1998, there are 14,660 applications , comprising about 19,040 elderly applicants on the waiting list for public rental housing.

3. We give priority to elderly people in public housing allocation through various complementary schemes. Under the Single Elderly Persons Priority Scheme2, an applicant can normally be rehoused within two years of registration provided that they are willing to opt for Housing for Senior Citizens units . However, if they opt for self-contained flats, they may have to wait for about four years. Under the Elderly Persons Priority Scheme , the waiting time is normally about two years after registration provided applicants are not selective in the location of the housing unit. As for the Families with Elderly Priority Scheme , the average waiting time is about four years.

Addition of family members to tenancies of elderly households in public rental housing units

4. Under existing policy, addition of children aged 18 or above are not allowed to be added to the public rental housing tenancies. Children aged 18 or above may apply for public housing flats and allocation will be made if they meet all eligibility criteria and their turns come. If adult children were allowed to be added to the tenancy, their spouse and children might eventually be added to the tenancy and this would result in 'queue jumping'



Housing Department
March 1998