Following the transfer of the squatter control and clearance duties from the Housing Department (HD) to the Lands Department (LandsD) on 1 April 2006, HD's prime responsibility is to rehouse eligible clearees affected by clearance projects initiated by the Government and provide assistance to victims of natural disasters and emergencies.
For details on housing arrangement for the affected clearees, please go to Section A, Chapter 2 of Policies on Public Housing.
1. When the government demolishes my squatter structure, will I be rehoused to live in public rental housing (PRH) ?
People affected by clearance may be rehoused to PRH estates if they meet the following eligibility criteria:
| (1) | Affected persons must be genuine residents of a 1982 surveyed domestic structure / a licensed domestic structure and covered by the pre-clearance survey; |
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| (2) | (i) | Affected persons must be covered by the 1984 / 85 Squatter Occupancy Survey; or |
| (ii) | Affected persons with proof of two-year residence in a 1982 surveyed domestic structure prior to the date of announcement of squatter area clearance and having satisfied other eligibility criteria of Waiting List (WL) for PRH will be alloted a notional WL application number. If their application is to be due for allocation within 12 months, advance action will be taken to handle the application; |
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| Affected persons must satisfy the eligibility criteria of WL, please draw particular attention to the following criteria: |
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| (3) | At least half of the family members must have lived in Hong Kong (HK) without any conditions of stay for seven years and are still living in HK. Children under the age of 18 who are residing in HK with established HK birth status regardless of their length of residence in HK and their parents' residence status, or those under the age of 18 who are residing in HK regardless of their place of birth if one of their parents has lived in HK without any conditions of stay for seven years, are deemed to have satisfied the 7-year residence rule; |
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| (4) |
During the period from the date of pre-clearance survey up to the date of intake, the applicant or his / her family members must not |
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Domestic property includes any domestic property, uncompleted private domestic property, rooftop structure approved by the Buildings Authority, domestic building lots and Small House Grants approved by the Lands Department in the Hong Kong; and |
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| (5) | Persons affected by clearance operations are subject to a Comprehensive Means Test, and their total family monthly income and net assets value must not exceed the income and net asset limits laid down by the Housing Authority. | |
2. Can squatters affected by clearance operations use Green Form to apply for subsidised home ownership schemes?
Affected persons having satisfied eligibility for PRH and meeting the prevailing Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Secondary Market Scheme (SMS) eligibility criteria may choose to apply for purchase of flats in SMS in lieu of rehousing. They may also apply for purchase of the HOS flats in the Sale Programme of Surplus HOS Flats in lieu of rehousing, provided that they meet the HOS eligibility criteria concerned and the sale programme is available for application.
3. What are the rehousing arrangements for the victims of fire or natural disasters?
In the event of fire and natural disaster in squatter areas, temporary shelters or transit centres will be arranged for those registered victims in need pending eventual rehousing.
Squatter fire victims who are eligible for PRH will be rehoused to public rental flats in the New Territories. For those who do not fall into this category, allocation of interim housing (IH) in the New Territories will be considered.
Permitted occupiers of surveyed domestic squatters affected by landslips or natural disasters will normally be accorded local rehousing, with the proviso that these victims may be allocated housing units in the extended urban area (which includes Tsuen Wan, Shatin and Tseung Kwan O) if no urban units are available.
4. Will squatters affected by clearance operations who are registered on the General Waiting List be granted priority for allocation of PRH?
Affected persons who are eligible for rehousing and satisfy the WL eligibility criteria and whose WL applications are due for flat allocation within 12 months may be offered advanced rehousing under the Anticipatory Housing Scheme.
5. Will HD render assistance to the squatters affected by clearance who failed the Comprehensive Means Test?
Families failing the Comprehensive Means Test are ineligible for PRH or IH. Those having a temporary need for housing will be offered IH but their stay there will be restricted to one year, during which they are required to pay licence fee at market level.
