Clearees
Following the transfer of squatter control and clearance duties from the Housing Department (HD) to the Lands Department on 1 April 2006, the role of HD is confined to providing rehousing assistance to eligible clearees affected by government actions on land clearance for development or other purposes, and to victims of natural disasters and other emergency incidents.
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 licensed domestic structure/a 1982 surveyed domestic structure covered by the 1984/85 Squatter Occupancy Survey and registered in the pre-clearance survey subject to their fulfillment of the eligibility criteria for PRH; or |
| (2) |
Households who are not covered by the 1984 /85 Squatter Occupancy Survey but have proof of 2-year residence in the affected 1982 surveyed domestic structure/licensed domestic structure immediately preceding the date of announcement of clearance subject to their fulfillment of the eligibility criteria for PRH (i.e. 7-year residence rule, no domestic property in Hong Kong and satisfy the income and asset test), they would be allotted a notional PRH application number with 2-year waiting time. Under the policy of Anticipatory Housing Scheme (AHS), if they will soon be allocated with PRH flat within 12 months' time, their application will be handled in advance. |
|
|
|
| Affected persons must satisfy the eligibility criteria for PRH application, please draw particular attention to the following criteria: | |
| (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 seven-year residence rule; |
| (4) |
During the period from the date of pre-clearance survey up to the date of signing the tenancy agreement of the PRH flat allocated in consequence of the application, the applicant or his / her family members must not |
|
|
|
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 HK; and
|
|
| (5) |
Persons affected by clearance operations are subject to a Comprehensive Means Test (CMT), 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 meeting the criteria for PRH may apply for the purchase of flat under Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) or Secondary Market Scheme through Green Form Certificate in lieu of other rehousing options, provided that they meet the current eligibility for the purchase of the HOS flats under Home Ownership Scheme or the HOS secondary market and the HOS 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, transit centres will be arranged for those registered victims in need, pending eventual rehousing in accordance with the prevailing rehousing policy.
Squatter fire victims who are eligible for PRH or IH will be rehoused to public rental flats or IH in the New Territories.
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 Tung Chung, Shatin, Ma On Shan, Tseung Kwan O, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi) if no urban units are available.
4. Will squatters affected by clearance operations who are registered for PRH be granted priority for allocation of PRH?
Affected persons who fulfilled the eligibility for rehousing to PRH or IH, if they have already registered for PRH and their PRH application is expected to reach the allocation stage within 12 months, advance action will be taken to handle their PRH application 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 CMT 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.
6. Can occupants of unauthorized rooftop structures affected by the Urban Renewal Authority’s redevelopment projects be rehoused to public rental housing units of the Housing Authority?
In handling the applications for rehousing to Housing Authority’s public rental housing flats from unauthorized rooftop structure occupants affected by their redevelopment projects, Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is in general following the rehousing criteria of Buildings Department’s unauthorized rooftop structure clearances, please refer to Section A of Chapter 2, Policies on Public Housing in Housing Authority’s website. In addition, URA also offers other rehousing and ex-gratia payment arrangements for consideration by the eligible occupants. Please refer to URA’s website for details.
