The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority: 

Seventy-five per cent of respondents of a survey conducted by a research firm sponsored by the Housing Authority agreed with the introduction of new policies in regard to better-off tenants in public housing. Only 16% of the Public Rental Housing(PRH) interviewees disagreed. 

Assistant Director of Housing(Policy), Mr Ho Wing-him said the Authority decided to carry out one poll immediately before announcement of its consultation document on allocation of public housing resources and another one towards the end of the consultation period to solicit views from the general public. 

The telephone poll, conducted between 20 November to 4 December, interviewed 1,500 households, half from PRH tenants and others from non-public rental housing. 
"Ninety-two per cent said needy families and low income group should enjoy priority in allocation of housing resources. Most respondents from the PRH(91 per cent) shared the same view," Mr Ho said.

The survey found out that 71 per cent of respondents supported that better-off tenants with income and asset exceeding the prescribed limits should either pay market rent or vacate from PRH. Only 17 per cent opposed. For those double-rent(DR) payers without owning properties, the findings showed that 81 per cent supported offering them green form priority in buying Home Ownership Scheme(HOS) flats. However, 68 per cent objected to giving DR tenants priority if they possessed properties. 

For tenants affected by rehousing and redevelopment, 68 per cent of the respondents felt that they should declare their income so that the Authority could review the level of housing subsidy given to them, while 63 per cent of those from PRH also supported this idea. End
Friday, December 8, 1995