Hong Kong to soon unveil rehousing plans for Wang Fuk Court residents: city leader

Hong Kong authorities will “shortly” announce long-term rehousing plans for residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire, after settling differences in individual preferences and resolving uncertainties over insurance and legal issues, the city’s leader has said.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the pledge on Friday after visiting some of the affected residents temporarily staying in a youth hostel in Kai Tak and revealed that he had told all ministers to conduct community visits before Lunar New Year to better understand people’s lives.

After visiting two families displaced by the Wang Fuk Court inferno that claimed 168 lives in late November, Lee said he had instructed his colleagues “not to stop working” during the coming holiday to expedite the formulation of a rehousing plan that could meet the needs of the residents.

Lee said he told the residents the government needed to overcome three major challenges: handling differences in families’ preferences, dealing with insurance issues related to property rights and potential legal disputes, and resolving uncertainties and complexities in compensation matters.

“If legal issues are not properly resolved, potential court disputes could delay our efforts to address the needs of affected families,” he said.

“All the affected residents we spoke to shared the same primary view, they want this settled as soon as possible.