ExCo Non-official Members visit transitional housing projects (with photos)

The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:
 
     Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Members) today (May 27) visited the Sham Tseng Light Housing and transitional housing units under the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)'s Community Housing Movement to keep abreast of the latest progress of Hong Kong's transitional housing projects.
 
     Accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Light Be, Mr Ricky Yu, ExCo Members first visited the Sham Tseng Light Housing and its residents to learn about their living environment and daily lives. The Light Housing, converted by social enterprise Light Be from the staff quarters of a mill factory, provides more than 40 units of rental housing for a maximum of three years with affordable rent to families in need. Light Housing's "Tenant Development" model emphasises a diversified approach to personal development.
 
     ExCo Members then proceeded to the transitional housing project Good Homes, established in To Kwa Wan under the Community Housing Movement, and visited resident families in the company of the HKCSS Chief Executive, Mr Chua Hoi-wai. With the Government's support, the HKCSS rolled out the Community Housing Movement to provide transitional housing using existing vacant units in residential buildings to alleviate the hardship faced by families awaiting public rental housing, as well as those in poor living conditions. Assisted by the joint efforts of various sectors of the community, the project also provides support services for residents in need. Run by the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council, Good Homes emphasises the concept of "shared, co-managed and symbiotic" housing to promote a friendly community culture while alleviating the housing needs of inadequately accommodated households.
 
     The ExCo Members agreed that transitional housing projects are worth supporting as community resources can be used flexibly to provide accommodation for people with housing needs, and many such projects also help improve residents' living standard through appropriate counselling services and support. They expressed the hope that the approval by the Chief Executive in Council earlier to exempt the waiver fee, rent and associated costs for land applications related to the provision of transitional housing will encourage more community-initiated transitional housing projects to alleviate the hardship faced by families awaiting public rental housing or inadequately housed.
 
     The ExCo Non-official Members joining the visit today were Convenor Mr Bernard Chan, Mrs Fanny Law, Mr Ronny Tong, Dr Lam Ching-choi and Mr Kenneth Lau.