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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Housing Authority (HA) will launch a three-month public consultation on the review of its domestic rent policy commencing today (March 9).
Announcing the launch of the public consultation at a press conference, the Chairman of HA, Mr Michael Suen said the objective of the review is to "establish a rent structure that is more rational and flexible, provides greater choice to tenants, and helps to promote the long-term sustainability of the public housing programme."
Mr Suen was joined by Mr Ng Shui-lai, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Review of Domestic Rent Policy, and other non-official members of the Committee including Mr Walter Chan Kar-lok, Mr Chan Bing-woon, Mr Wong Kwun and Ms Lui Lai-bing at the press conference.
The consultation paper sets out the initial findings of the Ad Hoc Committee. "Amongst the most important reform proposals put forth is to establish a more transparent and well-defined index-linked mechanism to guide future rent adjustments, both upwards and downwards, based on movements in consumer price or tenants' household income," Mr Suen said.
The consultation paper also examines a host of other key issues central to the formulation of the HA's domestic rent policy. It includes-
* alternative methods for measuring tenants' affordability;
* possible measures to improve the methodology for assessing the median rent-to-income ratio (MRIR);
* possible introduction of a system of differential rents based on floor levels, orientation and external views of the flats;
* possibility of charging "exclusive rents", i.e. net rents exclusive of rates and management fees;
* feasibility of practising fixed-term tenancy; and
* rent review cycle.
A summary of the initial findings of the Ad Hoc Committee is set out at Annex.
"Tenant's affordability and long-term sustainability of the public rental housing programme are the two guiding principles that will continue to sit at the very heart of the review," said Mr Ng Shui-lai, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee.
"The proposals in the consultation paper represent only the initial findings of the Ad Hoc Committee. We would keep an open mind and take into full account the views of the community before drawing up our recommendations to the Authority," he added.
During the three-month consultation, all 18 District Councils will be consulted. Four district public forums and two meeting-the-public sessions by the Ad Hoc Committee will also be organised to solicit views from the community.
Copies of the consultation document and executive summary can be obtained from district offices and estate management offices of public rental housing estates or downloaded from the HA website (www.housingauthority.gov.hk).
Members of the public are welcome to send their views by fax (2761 5770), by e-mail (cdrp@housingauthority.gov.hk) or by post (The Committees' Section, Housing Department, 10/F, Block 2, Housing Authority Headquarters, 33 Fat Kwong Street, Kowloon) on or before June 9, 2006.
Ends/Thursday, March 9, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:30
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