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In view of the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) had at one stage since 29 January 2020 provided emergency and limited public services only, and implemented special work arrangements to align with the Government’s strategy to fight the pandemic. Following the Government’s phased resumption of normal public services in May, the HA has resumed operation of a vast majority of its public services since 4 May. We will continue to implement infection control and cleansing measures for the sake of public health.
In the past few months, confirmed cases of COVID-19 were found in a small number of public rental housing (PRH) units in HA’s PRH estates and housing estates under the Tenants Purchase Scheme, such as Hong Mei House of Cheung Hong Estate, Heng Tai House of Fu Heng Estate, and Luk Chuen House of Lek Yuen Estate where the latest confirmed cases were identified. My heartfelt thanks go to our management and frontline colleagues concerned, who have been acting promptly and proactively by taking effective actions, including thoroughly cleansing and disinfecting the affected PRH blocks, arranging for comprehensive inspections of all PRH units with sewerage facilities shared by the units with confirmed cases, as well as maintaining close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection and other Government departments to jointly take the necessary measures to combat the pandemic. In line with the Government's earlier announcement on inspecting the drainage pipes on external walls for target private residential and composite buildings in Hong Kong, the HA has announced that it would proactively inspect the communal drainage pipes of all its PRH, including the communal drainage pipes inside some of the rental units. The HA will increase its manpower resources and give priority to inspect the communal pipes of the estates with confirmed COVID-19 cases, and arrange appropriate repairs where feasible and when necessary.
HA’s handing over of Chun Yeung Estate (including the domestic blocks and the shopping centre) in Fo Tan to the Government in February this year for management and quarantine purpose is a manifestation of our ongoing support for the Government’s anti-epidemic work. The intake of Chun Yeung Estate, and Fai Ming Estate which had been severely vandalised by law-breakers earlier, was thus deferred. In order to minimise the inconvenience caused by the postponed intake, we have made special arrangements for the affected prospective domestic tenants of Chun Yeung Estate and Fai Ming Estate as well as the prospective commercial tenants of Chun Yeung Estate Shopping Centre. Under the Anti-epidemic Fund, the Government has also granted a one-off ex-gratia allowance of $6,000 per household to the affected prospective PRH tenants of both Chun Yeung Estate and Fai Ming Estate. Currently, repair works in Fai Ming Estate are being robustly carried out. Upon the Government’s return of Chun Yeung Estate to the HA, we will arrange and complete repair works as soon as possible for residents’ intake.
In face of the current austere economic environment, the HA has introduced measures alongside the Government’s relief package to help ease the burden of both the tenants and the public, including:
- a 50% rent concession granted earlier to HA’s retail and factory tenants for a period of 12 months (from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020). In early last month, the rent concession was further raised to 75% for the period from 1 April to 30 September 2020 and its coverage had been extended to tenants/licencees of bus kiosks and most advertising signboards, as well as car park users for the monthly parking of commercial vehicles;
- a mortgage principal moratorium plan confirmed to be applicable to Subsidised Sale Flats Scheme (SSFS) flats so as to encourage banks and financial institutions participating in the provision of mortgage loans for SSFS to offer such a plan to owners of SSFS flats, thereby reducing their burden of mortgage repayment;
- a temporary measure to withhold the issuance of Notice-to-Quit against rent arrears to ease the short-term financial difficulties of PRH tenants with rent in arrears.
The above are just some of the additional work we have undertaken over the past few months. There are indeed other special arrangements that have not been listed here. These new tasks involve substantial amount of preparation and administrative work, requiring communication and co-ordination with various Government departments and stakeholders for implementation within a short timeframe. Thanks to the full commitment and team spirit of our colleagues from various sections without which we would not be able to respond swiftly and implement the array of special measures smoothly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all colleagues for their efforts and hard work again. I trust colleagues will remain committed and continue to serve the public with heart and care over this difficult period.
Donald Tong
Director of Housing
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