Housing consultation set for September

June 22, 2013

Secretary for Transport & Housing Prof Anthony Cheung says the Long Term Housing Strategy consultation document should be ready in September.
 
Speaking to the media today after a Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee meeting, Prof Cheung said the meeting covered the outline for the document, which will give an overview of the housing situation, including current problems, and set out a vision for housing strategy over the next decade.
 
Committee members favour emphasis on providing new public housing while maintaining equitable distribution, including both public rental housing and home ownership housing schemes, he said.
 
When considering different groups with housing needs, Prof Cheung said the committee felt priority should be given to families and the elderly. “We also feel that we need to give priority to those households living in inadequate housing units including sub-divided units," he said.
 
Noting Hong Kong’s shortage of land and housing resources, he said the document would include optimising existing public housing stock and the roles of delivery agencies including the Housing Authority, the Housing Society, and the Urban Renewal Authority.
 
It will also consider the role of the private sector and how the process of land supply could be streamlined, as well as striking a balance for social needs while increasing the supply of land for housing.
 
Finally, the document will consider how the Government looks at housing needs in the coming decades, which will be affected by current decisions. "We would like also to think about the needs of future generation,” he said.