Government refutes inaccurate reports
In response to media reports on the long-term housing arrangements for Wang Fuk Court, a Government spokesman said today (March 13):
Today, the media quoted some individual Wang Fuk Court owners as saying that upon receiving acquisition payments after selling their titles to the Government, or upon obtaining the keys to new flats under the Special Sales Exercise or "Flat-for Flat" arrangements, they would have to move out of the transitional housing within 30 days without any further rental grants. These claims are unfounded. The Government will continue to provide affected owners of Wang Fuk Court with accommodation and rental grants before they have finalised their long-term housing arrangements.
The Housing Bureau, Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Housing Bureau emphasised that operating organisations of transitional housing projects have all along been providing flexible move-out arrangements to the residents in need. The 30-day period is no hard-and-fast rule, but operating organisations will flexibly allow residents with genuine needs (e.g. pending completion of renovation works and moving to the new homes) to continue temporary rentals of the transitional housing units. This arrangement applies to all Wang Fuk Court residents no matter they choose to arrange their own long-term accommodation, or they opt for the Special Sales Exercise or a "Flat-for-Flat" arrangement.
On the rental grants, the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po announced in December last year that it will provide owners of each unit in Wang Fuk Court with an annual rental grant of $150,000. The grant will be provided for two years and disbursed on a semi-annual basis, with each payment being $75,000.
For owners who choose to sell their titles and receive cash payment without participating in the Special Sales Exercise, rental grants will be provided up to the date on which the relevant funds are credited to their account. Owners may make their own long-term housing arrangements with such cash payments. Rental grants received before the credit date will not need to be refunded, but no further grants will be disbursed thereafter.
If owners opt to participate in the Special Sales Exercise, rental grants will continue to be provided up to the intake date of the subsidised sale flats (i.e. the date on which the keys to the flats are collected). By then, their long-term housing needs would have been properly addressed. Any rental grants received prior to the intake date will not need to be refunded, but no further grants will be disbursed thereafter.
The Housing Bureau's "engagement team" will clearly explain the relevant arrangements to the owners of Wang Fuk Court. Should the owners have any questions, they may contact the "engagement team" at any time.
Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post
