The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 23) announced that tenants (including licencees) who live in its public rental units and pay normal rent or reduced rent under the Rent Assistance Scheme (RAS) will not be required to pay rent for the month of July 2020. The measure is not applicable to tenants who are required to pay additional rent.
The Financial Secretary introduced a series of counter-cyclical measures in the 2020-21 Budget announced on February 26, 2020, which included, among other things, paying one month's rent for lower income tenants living in the public rental units of the HA. The Legislative Council passed the Appropriation Bill 2020 on May 14. About 760 000 HA tenants will benefit from the measure.
"The Government will pay the rent for July 2020 for HA tenants and licencees paying normal rent or reduced rent under the RAS. The HA will notify all tenants and licencees of the arrangement," a spokesman for the HA said.
In addition, in view of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, if tenants face short-term financial difficulties with rent in arrears, they could submit applications to the HA for withholding the issuance of a Notice-to-Quit. If the applications are approved, the HA will temporarily withhold the issuance of the Notice to the concerned tenants from May to October 2020.
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