Increasing Supply of Subsidised Housing in Short to Medium Term

63. We will increase and expedite the supply of subsidised housing -

1. As a production target, the total supply of PRH will be at least 100 000 units over the five years starting from 2018;
2. I have asked the Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) to review and expedite the construction of public housing flats without compromising quality, and find ways to simplify technical assessments under different regulatory requirements;
3. I will invite the HKHS to build more subsidised housing. In view of the very favourable response to the Greenview Villa project, the Government has set aside a site in Sha Tin for the HKHS to develop a similar housing project. Another site in Sha Tau Kok will also be allocated for rental housing development. Together, the two sites will provide about 1 000 units;
4. I have asked the Development Bureau (DEVB) and the THB to examine all projects in the pipeline to increase the plot ratio as appropriate;
5. The Housing Department will step up its efforts to combat the abuse of PRH resources. Together with the PRH flats surrendered voluntarily by tenants, on average a net number of about 7 000 units will be recovered every year. With another 15 000 or so new flats completed, there will be more than 22 000 PRH flats available for allocation a year;
6. The first batch of 2 100 new HOS flats will be offered for pre-sale next year. In due course, PRH tenants who purchase HOS units will vacate their PRH flats, which will then be available for reallocation; and
7. Since the latest income limit for subsidised housing is capped at $40,000 a month, we believe that in future, the income limit for HOS flats should enable those who were previously eligible for the My Home Purchase Plan (MHPP) to become eligible under the HOS. As such, we have decided not to roll out any more projects under the MHPP. The four pieces of land in Tai Po, Diamond Hill, Choi Hung and Ma On Shan respectively, originally earmarked for the MHPP, will be used for new HOS development instead.

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