Plan To Offer Needy Families Prefabricated Homes

A group of welfare organisations say they hope to offer 90 poor families prefabricated homes by next year as a part of their social housing project in Sham Shui Po.

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service said its proposed plan for Nam Cheong Street will have three blocks, made of stackable, prefabricated units. The society wants to provide transitional homes for families who have been waiting for public housing for a long time.

Anthony Wong, a business director at the council, said people who have been waiting for more than three years will be given priority. He added that the organisation is still looking into the design of the modular housing blocks to ensure that they pass government safety requirements.

Wong stressed that the organisation will not compromise on fire safety standards.

He also told RTHK's Janice Wong that although he thinks the 90 flats under the scheme won't be able to help ease the long queues for public housing overnight, the council may provide more such units in other locations if the plan in Sham Shui Po is a success.