Members of the Housing Authority's Home Ownership Scheme today (Thursday) approved a proposal to extend the agency management scheme to Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) estates currently under the management of the Housing Department (HD).

The Chairman of the Committee, Ms Leung Wai-tung, said the scheme proved to have been very successful in terms of cost-effectiveness and acceptance by HOS residents since implementation in 1987.

"Findings of a survey recently conducted to gather the views of HOS residents on the management of HOS estates have shown that the residents are generally in favour of management by private management agencies (PMA)," Ms Leung said.

She pointed out that with higher flexibility in administration and management, PMAs could generally manage HOS estates at lower cost without compromising on the quality of service.

"At present, there are 52 HOS estates under the management of private management agencies. However, there are 38 HOS estates which are siill managed by HD," she said.

With a view to gaining owners' support, HD will hold meetings and seminars to explain to them the operation of the scheme. The concerned Mutual Aid Committees or Residents' Associations will be consulted in the selection of PMA.

Ms Leung said, "In the long run, it is the intention of HD to hand over the management of HOS estates to Owners' Corporations (Ocs)."

"HOS residents are encouraged to form their own Ocs and eventually take up the management responsibility. HA will provide assistance to newly-formed Ocs in a similar manner as the services of the Building Management Co-ordination Team in respect of private buildings."

Up to now, Ocs have been formed in Yee Ching, Yat Nga and Yuk Po courts. In fact, the Ocs of Yee Ching and Yat Nga courts have already taken over the management of the estates.

End/Thursday, September 14, 1995
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