Govt Urged To Redevelop Old Estates Quicker

Members of the Housing Authority on Friday said the government must speed up the redevelopment of old, run-down estates to create new homes for people.

They also called for more transitional housing for those in the queue for a public flat.

During an opening meeting of the Housing Authority to discuss its corporate plan, members expressed concern over the long queue for public flats.

While they acknowledged that a lack of residential land is the main problem, they said there are still ways to increase the supply of homes.

DAB lawmaker Wilson Or and the Democratic Party’s Andrew Wan both said there needs to be a systematic plan to redevelop old housing estate – and maximise their plot ratios during the process – to boost the number of new units.

The FTU’s Kwok Wai-keung, meanwhile, said there is a need for the government to take a more proactive role in providing transitional housing for those who have waited for a public flat for years.

Some members also floated the idea of redeveloping more industrial buildings for residential purposes.

Other demands raised during the meeting included building more barrier-free and elderly-friendly facilities at public estates, as well as improving the hygiene situations.

There were also calls for more greenery to be added on estates, to improve air ventilation and to enhance people’s living environments.

The chairman of the authority, Housing Secretary Frank Chan, said the government would examine the suggestions carefully.