Society Pushes Ahead With Transitional Housing

The chief executive of the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Lau Oi-sze, says the government's decision to streamline procedures and provide fee waivers for N-G-Os to build transitional housing is making a big difference.

The organisation plans to convert a primary school that it manages into 50 transitional housing units, after the school closes down in August.

On Thursday, the government said it had approved more measures to help social enterprises providing transitional housing, including exempting them from some payments they have to make to get a site or building from the Lands Department.

Groups which aim to provide these temporary homes for those awaiting public housing flats now don't have to pay fees to the department when applying for a​ temporary permit to use a government site or building.

They will also be exempt from paying fees for short term tenancies, rents and other associated costs.

Lau said this meant the time needed for the project has more than halved, and she's hoping tenants can move in as early as the first quarter of next year.

She said it had also meant that the Society's processes were faster and minimised administration costs.

Lawmaker Andrew Wan agreed that the new policy helps to ease NGOs' burden, but he added that the government ought to be leading the way in developing transitional housing.

He said the authority has to shoulder its responsibilities in seeking more suitable land, instead of fobbing the job off on non-governmental organisations.