Light Public Housing Phase 4 Applications Open from June 2, Offering About 11,300 Units Across Four Projects

Light Public Housing to open for Phase 4 application from June 2

The Housing Bureau (HB) today (May 26) announced that the Light Public Housing (LPH) will be open for Phase 4 application from June 2. The Phase 4 application will cover four projects, namely Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak (Phase 2); Yan Po Road, Tuen Mun; Tsing Fat Street, Tuen Mun; and Hang Kwong Street, Ma On Shan, which will provide a total of about 11 330 units for gradual intake anticipated from the third quarter of this year onwards.

Eligible applicants will receive the application forms by post on or before June 2 sent by the HB in batches. Application forms submitted between June 2 and 23 will be handled with priority. Those who have submitted an application form before do not need to make another application.

A spokesman for the HB said, "The LPH application has received an overwhelming response, with over 38 600 applications received as of late May. Under the leadership of the HB, about 9 650 units of seven projects (namely projects at Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long; Choi Hing Road, Ngau Tau Kok; Choi Yuen Road, Sheung Shui; Shun On Road, Kwun Tong; Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak (Phase 1); Tsing Fuk Lane, Tuen Mun; and Choi Shek Lane, Kowloon Bay) were all completed on time and have been fully occupied. The projects at Sheung On Street, Chai Wan, and Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak (Phase 2), which were covered in the Phase 3 application, have also commenced eligibility vetting for the applicants earlier. LPH offers affordable rent, comprehensive ancillary services, and a better living environment, continuously providing sufficient housing options for families with urgent housing needs, including those residing in subdivided units (SDUs)."

The spokesman added, "The Phase 4 application includes projects located in the urban/extended urban areas, as well as the New Territories, with different scales and merits. We believe that they can cater for the needs of different applicants. More importantly, the living environment and ancillary facilities of all LPH projects are far better than any inadequate housing, such as substandard SDUs. There are also one-off special allowances ranging from $1,950 to $13,000 for residents, as well as various services and support provided by the operating organisations for the tenants. The affordable rent of LPH can considerably alleviate the rental burden on the grassroots, and enable them to utilise the savings for other more meaningful purposes. This will not only result in immediate improvements to their personal and family life, but also facilitate their planning for the future. We encourage eligible members of the public in need to submit their applications as soon as possible."

Details of the LPH Phase 4 application are as follows:

(1) Eligibility for priority application: General applicants who have been on the waiting list for traditional public rental housing (PRH) for three years or more are eligible, with priority given to family applicants. Those meeting the eligibility criteria will receive by post the application forms sent by the HB in batches.

(2) Application period: Applicants who submit duly completed application forms between June 2 and 23 will be handled with priority, while the HB will continue to accept applications after June 23.

(3) Submission methods: Interested applicants may submit their duly completed application forms by post to the P.O. Box of the Dedicated Team on Light Public Housing of the Housing Bureau (P.O. Box 28222, Gloucester Road Post Office, Wan Chai, Hong Kong); or by depositing them into drop-in boxes during office hours (from 9am to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays, except Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) at the following locations:

• Light Public Housing Information Counter at Podium Level 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon

• Office of the Dedicated Team on Light Public Housing at Room 801, 8/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

• Light Public Housing Information Centre, Shop No. G06, Mei Kwai House, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Kowloon

In addition, if the applicant and all family members have registered for "iAM Smart+", they may opt to complete, sign and submit the e-Form by scanning the exclusive QR code pre-printed on the application form.

The HB will process the application forms received as soon as possible and make arrangements for the allocation. To give priority to those families in need to move into LPH, if the applicants are currently living in inadequate housing; having special medical conditions; or having minor children, newborn babies, elderly persons, etc, in the family, they will be given a higher priority for LPH allocation.

Information of the projects in the Phase 4 application is as follows:

(1) Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak (Phase 2): Providing about 4 580 units (including units for one to two persons, three to four persons and four to five persons) in the second stage of application, adjacent to Kai Tak MTR Station, and with a number of franchised bus and minibus routes in the vicinity travelling to/from various places in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. The estimated monthly rent ranges from about $1,310 to $2,990 (Note).

(2) Yan Po Road, Tuen Mun: Providing about 2 850 units (including units for one to two persons, three to four persons and four to five persons) in the second stage of application, adjacent to Yan Po Road Public Transport Interchange and bus stops on Yan Po Road, which provide a number of franchised bus routes to/from various places in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, and MTR bus routes to/from Tuen Mun and Siu Hong MTR Stations. The estimated monthly rent ranges from about $900 to $2,010 (Note).

(3) Tsing Fat Street, Tuen Mun: Providing about 3 040 units (including units for one to two persons, and three to four persons) in the second stage of application, with a bus terminus within the project, which provides public transport services to/from Tuen Mun Town Centre, Tuen Mun Road Bus-Bus Interchange and other destinations in the urban area during peak hours. The estimated monthly rent ranges from about $900 to $1,610 (Note).

(4) Hang Kwong Street, Ma On Shan: Providing about 860 units (including units for one to two persons, three to four persons and four to five persons), adjacent to Ma On Shan MTR Station, and with a number of franchised bus and minibus routes in the vicinity travelling to/from various places in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. The estimated monthly rent ranges from about $1,180 to $2,650 (Note).

For more information about the LPH Phase 4 application, please refer to the enclosed LPH Promotional Pamphlet, or browse the LPH website of the HB (www.hb.gov.hk/eng/lph). For enquiries, please call 3464 0700, or send an email to lphapp@hb.gov.hk.

Note: Rents vary depending on the unit size and the district. The rental level is set at around 90 per cent of the rent of newly completed traditional PRH in the same district. Having regard to the biennial rent review of the traditional PRH, the rent of LPH will be adjusted accordingly.

The Housing Bureau today (May 26) announced that the Light Public Housing (LPH) will be open for Phase 4 application from June 2. Photo shows an artist's impression of the LPH project at Hang Kwong Street, Ma On Shan. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Housing Bureau today (May 26) announced that the Light Public Housing (LPH) will be open for Phase 4 application from June 2. Photo shows an artist's impression of the LPH project at Tsing Fat Street, Tuen Mun. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Housing Bureau today (May 26) announced that the Light Public Housing (LPH) will be open for Phase 4 application from June 2. Photo shows an artist's impression of the LPH project at Yan Po Road, Tuen Mun. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Housing Bureau today (May 26) announced that the Light Public Housing (LPH) will be open for Phase 4 application from June 2. Photo shows an artist's impression of the LPH project at Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak (Phase 2). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Property owner fined over $70,000 for not complying with removal order

An owner was convicted and fined $72,430 in total, of which $32,430 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts last Friday (May 22) for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

The Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts, the Kowloon City Law Courts Building

The case involved an unauthorised structure of about 40 square metres on the flat roof of a residential building in Hung Hom. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.

Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner had been prosecuted by the BD and was fined $2,760 upon conviction by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, he was prosecuted for the second time.

A spokesman for the BD said today (May 26), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action and instigate prosecutions against owners again if they persist in not complying with removal orders, so as to ensure building and public safety."

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: AI-found images