The Organized Crime and Triad Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), together with Regional Anti-Triad Units and District Anti-Triad Squads launched a new round of registration for the RenoSafe Scheme today (May 30). Subsidised buildings or housing estates which have been granted the subsidies under the third round of Operation Building Bright 2.0 Scheme (OBB 2.0) and Fire Safety Improvement Works Subsidy Scheme (FSW Scheme) will be progressively registered to the scheme.
Between April 1 and September 30, 2023, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) accepted applications for the third round of OBB 2.0 and FSW Scheme. Upon conclusion of the application period, over 1,600 applications were respectively received for the two subsidy schemes. URA will start issuing Approval-in-Principle letters to approved buildings or estates in batches today.
Launched in 2013, the RenoSafe Scheme adopts a multi-pronged approach to prevent and combat criminal infiltration in building maintenance projects and related tendering procedures through inter-departmental collaboration. Apart from the HKPF, participating government departments and public organisations include the Buildings Department, the Competition Commission, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, the Home Affairs Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Property Management Services Authority, and the URA.
Registration for the RenoSafe Scheme is a mandatory requirement for buildings or housing estates participating in subsidies under various government-funded building maintenance schemes such as OBB 2.0 and FSW Scheme. The OBB 2.0 and FSW Scheme aim to assist more flat owners in conducting prescribed inspections and repairs under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme and fulfilling the Fire Safety Directions issued under the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance. Upon registration, buildings or housing estates are required to fulfill a series of obligations, such as displaying relevant publicity materials; actively co-operating with relevant government departments and organisations, including notifying the Police in advance of the details of meetings and elections of the buildings or housing estates concerned, providing relevant records; and taking the initiative to provide information on suspected unlawful acts.
The participating government departments and public organisations are committed to providing a range of support services to RenoSafe Scheme members, including professional advice on building maintenance works and related aspects, a 24-hour police hotline for public enquiries or referrals on building maintenance works-related matters; providing direct contact channels with relevant government departments, as well as round-the-clock operational support provided by the Police.
The Police will proactively contact buildings or housing estates that have been approved under the third round of OBB 2.0 and FSW Scheme in batches for registration. At the same time, the Police also appeal to buildings or housing estates that have not applied for any government-funded building maintenance schemes or have not been granted any relevant government subsidies to enroll in the RenoSafe Scheme. This will enable participating government departments and public organisations to maintain liaison with the owners, monitor building maintenance-related crimes, and take timely enforcement actions to facilitate the smooth implementation of building maintenance works to prevent and combat building maintenance-related crimes.
Members of the public may visit the Police website at www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/04_crime_matters/cpa/cpa_renosafe.html for more details on the RenoSafe Scheme. Interested parties or those who have information on related crimes, please contact the 24-hour police hotline at 2527 7887.
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