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1. Land shortage threatens long-term public housing

1. Land shortage threatens long-term public housing
Michael Ng, The Standard, 20 October 2006

The Housing Authority faces a strenuous building challenge in the long term due to the acute shortage of land, Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen Ming-yeung has warned.

He also stressed that the moratorium on the sale of Home Ownership Scheme flats, which has been in force since 2002, would remain unchanged for the time being, although the government is prepared to review the matter according to the market trend.

At a meeting of the Legislative Council's housing panel Thursday, Suen was asked whether the government planned to increase its annual target of public housing flats to be built.

In denying there are any plans to do so, he said he expects the authority to suffer from a serious shortage of land in the longer term.

"I would not expect any significant problems to crop up in the next five years but, from the sixth year onwards, the challenge would be strenuous."

Suen said there has been strong opposition to redevelopment projects from district councils, which fear they would bring about changes in population density and the quality of living in the area.

"Take Lower Ngau Tau Kok estate, for instance - all the structures there have been pulled down for a long time, but redevelopment remains stalled because the district council is against it."

Suen said the government is reviewing the number of flats to be constructed every year in the future and he hopes the matter will be put to public consultation in the next few months. Under the authority's original plans, about 18,000 flats were to be constructed annually over the next five years.

Despite the land shortage, Suen pledged the government will keep its promise to allocate public housing flats to applicants within three years after they submit their applications.

Frederick Fung Kin-kee of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, hoped the authority would honor its word and discuss problems with the Legislative Council.

"If the authority really lacks land reserves, it should speak up as the legislature may be able to lend a helping hand and press the government to set aside more land for development," Fung said.

Replying to labor-sector representative Wong Kwok-hing's question as to whether the government plans to build HOS flats regularly to meet public demand, Suen reiterated that the moratorium imposed on the sale of HOS flats in November 2002 would stay.

"When we decided to stop selling HOS flats in November 2002, there was a duplication in the supply of HOS-type residential units in the private sector and we want to avoid such a situation reoccuring. This has remained in force to this day," he said.

"As to whether we will build more new HOS flats in future, we would never say never in certain matters. We'll see what the future situation is before we consider making any adjustments."

More than 15,000 HOS flats remain vacant and the authority is due to put the first batch on sale early next year, and Suen said details would be announced by the end of this year.