The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (December 6) announced the advanced schedule for clearance and rehousing for Phase 3 of the Wah Fu Estate (WFE) redevelopment and the clearance and rehousing arrangements for the Phase 1 of Choi Hung Estate (CHE) redevelopment.
The HA's Strategic Planning Committee discussed the above two plans this morning. The Subsidised Housing Committee and Commercial Properties Committee, at a joint meeting, subsequently approved the rehousing and associated arrangements for domestic and commercial tenants affected by the Phase 1 of CHE clearance exercise.
Advanced schedule for clearance and rehousing for redevelopment of WFE Phase 3
The HA has been co-ordinating closely with other government departments to improve the transport network surrounding redevelopment projects. The Transport and Logistics Bureau and Highways Department reported to the Legislative Council's Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways this morning, confirming that the originally proposed heavy rail transit system for the South Island Line (West) will be replaced by the smart and green mass transit systems to improve the technical feasibility and overall cost effectiveness. Upon co-ordination between relevant departments, the sites reserved at existing Wah On House and Wah Lok House for the development of the heavy railway can be released at an earlier time. The HA takes the opportunity to commence demolition at Wah On House and Wah Lok House and construction of the New WFE Phase 1 immediately upon the completion of the population intake at the Wah King Street reception site. The New WFE Phase 1 would become the rehousing resources for Phase 3 clearance tenants of Wah Chui House and Wah King House.
This new arrangement will allow the Phase 3 clearance tenants of Wah Chui House and Wah King House to move in to the New WFE Phase 1 in Q2/2034, advanced by around six years. The target clearance date of Wah Chui House and Wah King House can also be advanced by six years, from 2040/2041 to 2034/2035. The HA will continue to co-ordinate with relevant departments to develop remaining phases of the New Wah Fu Estate.
WFE is a mature community with a friendly neighborhood. Many shops have been established in the estate for many years. In the development work, the HA also focuses on retaining the cultural characteristics of the estates and sustaining the affection for small shops, and assist the featured shops and small shop tenants to continue their services for the community. The HA will discuss with the residents through engagement workshops and consider the retention of shops with unique characteristics and are worthy of retention by way of tailor-made tender arrangements.
Phase 1 of CHE redevelopment
As for the CHE redevelopment, the HA announced the clearance and rehousing arrangements for Phase 1, which will include three blocks, i.e. Pik Hoi House, Kam Pik House and Tan Fung House. Affected tenants will have a notification period of about 52 months before the target clearance date in April 2029 when they have to move out of their units.
Public participation to improve the community
Based on the views of stakeholders collected during the District Council consultation and community engagement activities, the HA will carry out the associated arrangements of the redevelopment and the community improvement plans.
(1) Enhancement of transport facilities
The CHE redevelopment provides an opportunity for the Government to make full use of the opportunity to improve the traffic problems at the Choi Hung Interchange. The HA will rearrange the master layout of the estate and set back the existing estate site boundary to vacate part of the land in three phases to accommodate the Government's road improvement works. The HA has included Tan Fung House in the Phase 1 clearance, which aims to provide the land adjacent to the Choi Hung Interchange as early as possible for the relevant government departments to implement road-widening works and provide additional traffic lanes to improve traffic flows. Additional bus lay-bys can also avoid the occupation of the carriageway by the buses while they are waiting to pick up and drop off passengers, thereby improving traffic at the Choi Hung Interchange.
(2) Sustaining affection of small shops and conserving cultural characteristics
The aforementioned tailor-made tender arrangements for the shops in WFE will also apply to tenants under the Phase 1 clearance of the CHE redevelopment. To sustain the affection for small shops and assist the featured shops and small shop tenants in the community to continue their business operations, the HA will identify the tenants of shops with unique characteristics and are worthy of retention through community engagement exercises, and engage them in bidding for new commercial premises reserved in the reception estates or the redeveloped estates in the original site, or other designated vacant shops and shops and stalls in the HA's existing retail facilities. Successful bidders will be given a three-month rent-free period for the new tenancy. The HA will gauge the views of the community and the intention of affected tenants through community engagement activities before finalising the detailed arrangements. If the eligible tenants do not participate in the tailor-made tender arrangements, they will be granted a lump sum payment of $125,000 in lieu. As usual, eligible commercial tenants under fixed-term tenancies paying market rent will be offered ex gratia allowances equivalent to 15 times the monthly exclusive rent as specified in the tenancy agreement applicable on the date of formal announcement of clearance. The HA will also consider incorporating the unique design elements of the existing estate into the design of the estate and adopt new architectural design techniques and consider retaining the cultural characteristics of CHE, for example, the traditional shop signboards and retail street design.
(3) Care for tenants' needs
The HA will take care of the tenants in need during the CHE redevelopment, especially the elderly, through internal transfers. Under the current policy, tenants who have difficulties in continuously living in their existing flats due to special circumstances may apply for transfer to a flat in the same estate. If the elderly tenants currently living in the domestic blocks in the Phase 1 clearance have need to be transferred to the domestic blocks in the Phase 2 and 3 clearance, they can apply for an internal transfer, and the applications will be considered with discretion. However, there are no available flats in CHE for allocation to one-person households. Therefore, one-person households will only be arranged to be transferred to other housing estates.
(4) Diverse rehousing options
Various rehousing options will also be offered to the affected tenants. There are about 1 970 households currently living in the domestic blocks involved in the Phase 1 clearance. The new Mei Tung Estate in the same district, providing about 2 450 Public Rental Housing (PRH) units with anticipated intake in 2028 to 2029 will be used as the reception estate and be able to accommodate all the affected households. Affected tenants may also choose to move to refurbished PRH units in any district of their choice, subject to availability of resources. In view of the encouraging sales responses of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) 2023 and continuous requests from CHE tenants in seeking further opportunities to purchase subsidised sale flats (SSFs) in nearby locations in lieu of rehousing, apart from the 1 467 flats provided in Wang Chiu Road Phase 2 in Kowloon Bay which was announced to be converted to a GSH project at the end of last year, the HA's Strategic Planning Committee has also approved at the meeting today to convert the PRH development at Wang Chiu Road Phase 1 with 2 576 flats to a GSH project. In total, two projects will provide 4 043 flats for sale. Subject to members' endorsement of the proposed conversion and endorsement by the Subsidised Housing Committee on the sales arrangements of the relevant sale exercises, affected tenants of the CHE Phase 1 clearance will be accorded priority to purchase SSFs before the target clearance date if they would like to purchase SSFs in lieu of rehousing, including GSH flats of the Wang Chiu Road Phase 1 and Phase 2.
(5) Details of allowance
Domestic tenants affected by the clearance will be offered a Domestic Removal Allowance ranging from $10,030 to $31,910, depending on the household sizes, to help meet part of their moving expenses. One-person and two-person households may also opt to receive a Singleton/Doubleton Allowance (SA/DA) in lieu of rehousing to a PRH unit. In this regard, the joint meeting today endorsed the adjustment of the SA/DA rates to $78,820 and $96,050 respectively.
(6) Community Service Team
As with previous clearance projects, a Community Service Team will be set up and stationed on-site in the estate to help maintain effective communications between the HA and affected households, in particular elderly people, and offer services including assistance in moving out of their existing flats and adapting to their new living environment.
The HA will announce the latest news and developments in due course based on the progress of the WFE and CHE redevelopment.
