The Housing Authority today announced that the intake for Blocks 1 to 3 of Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan is expected to commence gradually in December.

It noted that the Government has completely ceased the use of Blocks 1 to 3 as a quarantine centre since end-September, adding the three blocks were handed over to the authority in mid-October upon clearance and thorough disinfection of the relevant units.

The authority said it immediately conducted the necessary restoration works and acceptance tests to ensure that every unit meets the specified standard of public rental housing.

In view of health considerations, it also replaced some of the internal facilities of the units that had been used for quarantine purposes.

According to the current progress, the three blocks may commence intake gradually from around mid-December and Block 3 will be the first batch, the authority added.

Noting that the Government understands that the deferred intake of the estate has caused inconvenience and disturbance to the prospective tenants concerned, the authority said two rounds of ex-gratia payments, each of $6,000 per household, were granted under the Anti-epidemic Fund to eligible public rental housing applicants who had accepted the advance allocation offers in April and July.

A third round of ex-gratia payment of $6,000 was disbursed in October to eligible applicants who had accepted the advance allocation offers of Blocks 1 to 3.

In view of the deferred intake of Blocks 1 to 3 to December and to provide further assistance, the Government will grant, for the last time, a further ex-gratia payment of $6,000 per household under the fund to the eligible applicants concerned.

The ex-gratia payment will be disbursed in early December and eligible prospective tenants will be notified separately.

The authority has written to inform the prospective tenants concerned of Blocks 1 to 3 of the latest situation.