PURPOSE

This paper informs Members of the clearance policy on Temporary Housing Areas (THAs).

BACKGROUND

2. In the 1997 Policy Address, the Administration pledged to clear all remaining old-style THAs by 2000 by rehousing eligible clearees in public housing, including interim housing, in order to improve the living conditions of those affected and to free land for development. To ensure that public housing resources are allocated to families in genuine need, the Administration also pledged that all prospective Housing Authority public rental housing tenants would be required to undergo a means test covering both income and net assets in 1998.

3. In response to Members?request at the meeting held on 15 December 1997, the Administration undertook to keep Members posted about the Housing Authority (HA)'s programme to clear the remaining old-style THAs upon conclusion of the annual rental housing allocation exercise as well as the implementation details of the means test.

PRESENT SITUATION

4. At present, there are 16 THAs with a population of 15,000 from 5,500 families in the territory. Five of them will be cleared in 1997-98 and 1998-99 respectively. The remaining 11 THAs will be cleared by phases by the end of 2000.

CLEARANCE PROGRAMME FOR THE REMAINING THAs

5. The annual rental housing allocation plan for 1998-99 will also be considered by the Housing Authority in May this year. Meanwhile, the Housing Department is working on the implementation details of the means test, and a proposal will be submitted to the Housing Authority for consideration in mid-1998. We will take into account Members?views expressed at the meeting of 15 December 1997.

6. The clearance programme for the remaining THAs will depend on the availability of rehousing. We will be able to draw up and announce a time-table for the clearance of the remaining THAs after the results of the annual rental housing allocation for 1998-99 and the implementation details of means test are available. The THA residents will be notified nine to twelve months prior to the clearance so that they could make necessary arrangements.



Housing Department
March 1998