The Elderly

An elderly person who prefers to live alone can apply under the Single Elderly Persons Priority Scheme and be allocated a public rental flat within three years. The Government has pledged to reduce the average waiting time of elderly singletons who wish to live by themselves to two years by 2005. Two or more elderly persons who are willing to live together may apply under the Elderly Persons Priority Scheme, and be allocated flats within two years.

    There are two priority schemes for public rental flats which encourage households to live with and take care of their elderly members. Applicants with elderly parents or dependent relatives aged 60 or above under the Families with Elderly Persons Priority Scheme are allocated flats three years in advance of normal allocation in the district of their choice. Alternatively, they may also apply under the Special Scheme for Families with Elderly Persons for two separate flats in the same estate in new towns two years in advance of normal allocation.

    To help low income elderly households living in non-self-contained private flats or temporary structures, the Government pledged in the 2000 Policy Address to help eligible elderly people to apply for public housing. All eligible elderly households which submitted applications by the end of March 2001 will be offered public rental flats by the end of 2003.

    Under the Senior Citizens Residences Scheme, the HKHS will build community-based housing developments comprising self-contained flats with specialised support facilities and services for 'lease-for-life' to middle income senior citizens. Two sites in Tseung Kwan O and Jordan Valley have been allocated to the HKHS. Both projects are to be completed by 2003 and 2004.

Squatters

The number of squatters and squatter structures has been reduced in recent years as a result of rehousing and clearance programmes. There are now about 14 300 squatters in the urban areas and about 203 500 squatters in the New Territories. Squatter control is maintained by regular patrols and hut-to-hut checks. About 700 illegal structures and extensions were demolished during the year.

Rooftop Structures

Since 1999, the Buildings Department has stepped up enforcement action aiming to clear 12 000 illegal rooftop structures on 4 500 single-staircase buildings within seven years. Rooftop dwellers are encouraged to register on the Waiting List for public rental housing. No person affected by the demolition of rooftop structures will be left homeless. Everyone will be rehoused in public rental housing or interim housing according to eligibility.

    The Housing Authority approved relaxation of the rehousing eligibility criteria in December 2002 to enable genuine occupiers of rooftop structures built on or before June 1, 1982, upon production of proof of residence of two years in the affected structures, to be eligible for the offer of public rental housing flats under the Anticipatory Housing Scheme subject to their satisfying other eligibility criteria of the Waiting List for public rental housing.

Interim Housing

Interim housing provides accommodation to people who are rendered homeless for one reason or another, but are not eligible for permanent public housing. There are three types of interim housing: multi-storey vertical interim housing converted from redeveloped blocks in some older estates, prefabricated interim housing blocks, and a new form of multi-storey vertical interim housing in Tuen Mun. These high-rise blocks meet the continuing need for such accommodation.

    Transit centres provide free emergency shelter for the homeless, including victims of fire and natural disasters, pending assessment of their eligibility for rehousing to permanent or interim housing. The Housing Department manages three transit centres with a total capacity of 864 places.