HB launches Trial Scheme on Special Allowance for Households of Light Public Housing (with photos)

     In anticipation of the progressive completion of Light Public Housing (LPH) projects for intake, the Housing Bureau (HB) announced today (September 3) the launch of the Trial Scheme on Special Allowance for Households of Light Public Housing (Trial Scheme) to assist LPH households in need to adapt to the new neighbourhood more quickly.

     The Trial Scheme provides a one-off special allowance for households of LPH to alleviate the pressure arising from expenditures during removal and adaptation to the new living environment and community (such as children's school transfer, purchasing furniture and electrical appliances, re-establishing community networks). There is no restriction on the use of the allowance so as to allow households to meet their own needs in a more flexible manner.
 
      The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, shared this good news during a visit to the mock-up units for the Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long LPH today. The visit was joined by around 70 members of the public who are interested in knowing more about and applying for LPH. She said, "As the households moving into LPHs are lower-income grassroots with most urgent housing needs who may not be able to afford the expenses arising from removal, the HB has successfully applied to the Commission on Poverty (CoP) for a funding of $89.88 million from the Community Care Fund, with a view to providing the households with timely support. It is estimated that the Trial Scheme will benefit as many as 21 000 households."

      The amount of allowance depends on the number of family members living together in the household and the location of the LPH. The amounts of allowances are listed in the table below:
 

 
     The Trial Scheme is targeted at households who have successfully applied for and moved into the first eight LPH projects to be completed (i.e. Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long; Choi Hing Road, Ngau Tau Kok; Area 3A, Tsing Fuk Lane, Tuen Mun; Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak; Sheung On Street, Chai Wan; The Mission Covenant Church Holm Glad No. 2 Primary School, Kwun Tong; Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Ma Kam Chan Memorial Primary School (Choi Yuen Annex), Sheung Shui; and former St. Joseph's Anglo-Chinese School, Kowloon Bay). Subject to the response to and implementation of the Trial Scheme, the HB will consider applying to the CoP for extension of this two-year scheme to cover the remaining LPH projects in due course.
 
     Households which have submitted applications for LPH with the need for the special allowance may, upon acceptance of the offer and passing the eligibility verification, apply for the Trial Scheme through the operator of the respective LPH projects. The households receiving the allowance will be required to reside in the unit for at least one year. Those who have already benefited under the Trial Scheme on Special Allowance for Households of Transitional Housing will not be granted the special allowance for LPH.

     Ms Ho added, "The project teams of the HB and the Architectural Services Department are making every effort to take forward the LPH projects. The first two projects at Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long and Choi Hing Road, Ngau Tau Kok are expected to be available for intake starting from Q1 2025. I appeal to all eligible persons who would like to move into LPH to submit their application as soon as possible, if they have not yet done so, and take the step towards improving the living environment for themselves and their families."
 
      Details of the Trial Scheme will be uploaded onto the LPH website of the HB (www.hb.gov.hk/eng/lph). For enquiries, please call the Trial Scheme on Special Allowance for Households of Light Public Housing hotline at 3464 0811, or send email to lphtssa@hb.gov.hk.