Ü Bringing Different Races Together –Community Centres Meeting place for different racial groups in the same estate Interaction encouraged tolerance & understanding Wide range of activities organised –Limit placed on proportion of races in every neighbourhood and block (March 1989) 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Bringing Different Races Together –1980 : Govt observed certain housing estates had higher concentrations of the same race –Malay : Bedok, Tampines –Chinese : Hougang, Ang Mo Kio –Racial congregation the result of a free market –This could hinder social bonding –Mar 1989 : Limit placed on proportion of races in every neighbourhood and block –Aim to encourage people of different races to reside within a block 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Source : SS Teachers’ Resource CD (Upper Sec)/Practice of Good Governance CDR1/SSS4RCD_A/03/Urban Renewal/1: Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Meeting Needs of Different Income Groups –Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC) Provide housing for the middle-income group –HDB built bigger flats with better designs Tampines and Choa Chu Kang –1995 : Executive Condominium Built by private sector Will become private property after a certain number of years Located in HDB housing estates Swimming pools and tennis courts –Mixture of smaller and bigger flats Interaction between different income groups 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Building a Sense of Belonging –End 1970s : Precinct Concept The precinct as the basic planning unit of a new town Precinct : Group of 4-8 blocks with a central spce; a few basic facilities to serve as focal point for residents To build up community spirit 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Building a Sense of Belonging Residents’ Committees (RCs) –Set up in 1978 –Allow involvement of residents in matters directly concerning them –Encourages greater participation from the people in communal and social activities –Foster community identity –Promotes neighbourliness & identity among residents 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Building a Sense of Belonging –1989 : Town Councils HDB Estate management functions transferred to TCs Residents given greater say in running own estates TCs services : Collection of conservancy fees; landscaping, maintenance of essential services eg lift-rescue Estb stronger community ties 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion

Ü Meeting Needs of Single Citizens –35 years old singles can buy resale flats –CPF Housing Grant for single citizens Ü Meeting Needs of Senior Citizens –Building of Studio Apartments Non-slip floors, pull-cords alarm system –Improving HDB’s rental blocks resided by senior citizens Lifts stopping at every lift, handrails, activity centre 1.6 Looking Ahead

Ü Renewing Old Estates –Upgrading Balcony Utility Room Improved Lift Lobby Linkways / Covered shelters Communal facilities –Residents’ choice of upgrading 75% agreement required Cost of upgrading shared by people and government Looking Ahead

High density housing in Hong Kong

Ü Large-scale immigration –Sino-Japanese War ( ) –Communist takeover in China (1949) Ü Post-war baby boom Ü No Government planning –Provision of public housing left to private developers –Not enough homes built The Housing Problem2.1

Ü Fire at Shek Kip Mei Christmas Day 1953 –Forced government to be more active in providing public housing –Eight blocks of flats built in 1954 to settle the fire victims –More housing estates were also built to resettle people from the fire-prone squatters –Flats constructed remained overcrowded and lacking of hygiene and facilities Resettling Squatters and Fire Victims 2.2

Ü Rental Housing –Low-cost rental housing scheme for lower- income families –Involvement of government-financed agencies –Building flats of higher standard Ü Temporary Housing Areas (THAs) –For homeless people who were not victims of natural disasters or residents of squatters –Materials to be provided by government –Became a permanent feature in Hong Kong Housing Lower-Income Families 2.3

Ü The Hong Kong Housing Authority (1973) –To co-ordinate all aspects of public housing –Self-contained new towns proposed –Towns having their own facilities Providing Quality Homes2.4

The Hong Kong Housing Authority (1973)

Ü New Towns –New Territories identified –Villages became large high-rise towns –Sha Tin –Other problems arose –Reluctance of employers to set up business in new town due to lack of proper infrastructure –Workers unwilling to receive lower pay Providing Quality Homes

Ü Hopes to change from homeless immigrant society to home-owning society –Home Ownership Scheme –Flats sold at subsidised rates –Sale of flats not allowed within five years –Private Sector Participation Scheme –Private developers allowed to buy land to build flats –Prices of flats to be 30-50% lower than market price –Sale of flats not allowed within five years Encouraging Home Ownership 2.5

Encouraging Home Ownership 1985 % 1990 % 1995 % % of households – owner occupants % of households – rented Not Available 53.0 Source : eastasia/hongkong.htm eastasia/hongkong.htm 2.5

Ü Conversion of resettlement flats into larger self-contained flats –Building of recreational & educational facilities –Schools, playgrounds and shopping centres Ü Redevelopment Programme –Demolishing existing buildings and rebuilding them into self-contained community estates –Shek Kip Mei Modernising Old Estates2.6

Ü Welfare premises on the ground floor Ü Sheltered housing on the lower floors Ü Installation of alarm systems Housing Senior Citizens2.7

Ü Conclusion ÜImportance of Government’s role in housing Need to strike a balance between people’s expectations and availability of resources Housing Senior Citizens Acknowledgement : Adaptation of text by Mr Robin Leong, East Spring Sec School 2.7