News Stories:

Click-on these handy "jump links" to quickly access the news item
you're looking for.

1. Tenants offered $200 to replace dangerous drying poles

2. Shamshuipo slum clearance to cost $2.58 billion

3. Park Island new release to test property market

1. Tenants offered $200 to replace dangerous drying poles
DIKKY SINN, SCMP 1 May 2004

The Housing Department is offering subsidies to allow its tenants to replace old-fashioned bamboo clothes racks which have been fitted to public flats for 40 years. The poles have been linked to two deaths in recent weeks.

The one-off $200 subsidy is for tenants to replace the racks with safer aluminium and cord laundry racks.

The payment will cover half the installation price, with the scheme estimated to cost the government $26 million.

Last week, a 13-year-old boy fell to his death in Hunghom when he leaned out too far from a 10th-floor window to collect clothes from a bamboo rack.

In March, a 57-year-old woman fell and died while she was taking in her washing in Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau.

With the old racks, fitted to more than 520,000 flats, tenants insert bamboo poles directly into a wall socket.

Wong Kwun, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Public Housing, said such laundry poles were dangerous.

"Accidents over the years have proved that they are not safe," he said.

"People short in height have to step on a stool and lean out when they are hanging their clothes."

Lau Kai-hung, the deputy director of housing, said it was expected that 30 per cent of tenants would be interested in applying for the subsidy.

"We believe a lot of them have already installed other drying facilities in their own flats."

However, Mr Lau stressed that the pole-socket drying facilities on external walls of public rental housing met the required safety standards when properly used.

"Tenants should not use poles longer than two metres and heavy items such as wet blankets should not be hung on them," he said.

Ho Man Tin Estate housewife Leung Tam Yuk-ho said she felt that the old bamboo laundry poles were unsafe.

"It's very dangerous. I have to lean out the window," said the 61-year-old, who lives on the 23rd floor. "My upper body hangs over the side and I'm afraid I will fall."

Mrs Leung said she preferred to dry her clothes inside her flat.

"The design of the laundry facilities in public housing has problems," she added.

"The laundry poles are installed just outside the kitchen. The clothes absorb cooking fumes."

Choi Hung Estate housewife Hung Wai-heung, a single parent with three children, said she would not apply for the subsidy.

"Being the landlord, the Housing Authority should bear the whole installation cost," said Ms Hung.

She added that she could not afford to contribute $200 to the installation costs because she relied on welfare payments to survive.

Applications for the installation subsidy start from June 1 and installation is to be completed within six months.

The department has been offering to install the aluminium racks for free for tenants over 60 and disabled tenants since 1995.

2. Shamshuipo slum clearance to cost $2.58 billion
POLLY HUI, SCMP 1 May 2004

Cheung Tak-shing, holding his grandson, is hoping the government will offer him $3 million for his flat in Fuk Wing Street. He says the flat is in poor condition and has a leaky ceiling. The building in which he lives (above) is one of 67 to be flattened for residential developments in four areas of Shamshuipo to be completed by 2010. Photo Dustin Shum

Housing Society expects $400million loss on long-awaited redevelopment.

Sixty-seven rundown buildings in Shamshuipo are to be demolished as part of a $2.58 billion residential development unveiled by the Housing Society yesterday.

Some residents in the four sites earmarked for redevelopment welcomed the news yesterday, saying the ageing flats are in poor condition, but added they were hopeful of high compensation payments.

The area covers Castle Peak Road, Hing Wah Street, Un Chau Street, Fuk Wing Street and Cheung Wah Street. The authority expects to make a $400 million loss on the project.

The four urban renewal projects will provide 1,000 residential flats, 11,000 square metres of retail space and 2,200 square metres of community facilities by 2010.

The Housing Society, which is in charge of the projects, said 437 properties and 670 households would be affected. The oldest building to be demolished is 51 years old.

"The launch of the four projects - which are in close proximity to each other - at the same time, can speed up urban redevelopment in the district and improve the living environment as a whole," said Francis Law Hoo-yan, the society's director (property development).

Mr Law said the estimated cost for the four projects was about $2.58 billion, which included $1.27 billion for compensating residents.

But the society expected a loss of $400 million.

"We expect to face some pressure during the acquisition process as property values have been going up [and some residents may hope to get higher compensation]," said Mr Law.

The four renewal schemes are among the seven projects agreed to under a memorandum of understanding between the society and the Urban Renewal Authority two years ago.

Cheung Tak-shing, who has lived in his 1,000 sq ft flat in Fuk Wing Street with his family of six for nearly 40 years, said he was pleased he would be moving to a better flat. He said he had spent $80,000 on repairs to the ceiling, parts of which are collapsing. He said he would be satisfied if the government offered $3 million in compensation.

Mr Cheung, 49, had bought flats in Shamshuipo and other sites marked for redevelopment in the hope of receiving government compensation offers. His plans backfired with the property market's slump and the delay in announcing the Shamshuipo redevelopment. "The defunct Lands Development Corporation announced in 1997 their plans to redevelop the ageing district. But nothing has been done until now. This flat is still on mortgage and my other flats have already been sold at extremely low prices," he said.

The society started two redevelopment projects in Shamshuipo and Shau Kei Wan last year.

3. Park Island new release to test property market
PEGGY SITO and ERNEST KONG, SCMP 1 May 2004

The residential sector, which has seen sales growth slow recently, will receive a new stimulus with the launch of Sun Hung Kai Properties' (SHKP) 1,400-unit Park Island phase three development on Ma Wan island in the next two months.

Agents said the sale would set a fresh benchmark for the sector, which has been running out of steam after a seven-month surge. SHKP will put 400 flats of the third phase - Park Island Oceanfront - on the market in the first-batch sale this quarter, according to the company's quarterly report released yesterday.

Agents said they expected the sale would start by the end of this month with a target price of $4,500 per square foot for typical units.

This compared with secondary prices ranging from $3,700 per sq ft to $4,000 per sq ft for upper-floor sea-view units in phase one and phase two, said Centaline Property Agency sales manager Fred Chau.

"Buyers will be willing to pay a higher price for a better location and the presence of balconies."

BNP Paribas Peregrine property analyst Adrian Ngan said a reasonable price level would be below $4,000 per sq ft, taking into account the development's location, between Lamma Island and Tsing Yi.

"Potential buyers have more choices in urban areas such as The Pacifica in Cheung Sha Wan if they are willing to pay over $4,000 per sq ft," he said.

Park Island Oceanfront has seven residential blocks with about 1,400 flats, most with balconies. The first residents are expected to move in early next year.