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SCMP

This article was first published on November 21, 1985
By James Sun
Families to be evacuated
The Housing Authority is expected to announce today (November 21, 1985) an intensive redevelopment programme for 26 substandard estate blocks from which more than 17,000 families will be evacuated in the next four years.
The super programme, costing taxpayers up to $800 million will start next month if given the go-ahead by the Executive Council.
The Housing Authority is to meet this morning to discuss and approve the proposed programme, which is a result of the authority’s latest structural survey of 939 blocks out of the 1,032 blocks built more than five years ago.
The survey showed that 577 blocks have problems in the strength of the concrete, which needs repairs.
The authority has decided that 26 of them, completed between 1970 and 1974, should be demolished and redeveloped because “the strength of concrete in these blocks is so low that redevelopment will be more cost-effective than repair”.

The latest development was described as “disastrous” and “scandalous” by pressure groups on Wednesday.
Groups like the People’s Council on Public Housing Policy and the Society for Community Organisations are expected to gather residents’ opinions in the next few days and mount a campaign for improved safety on housing estates.
The 26 blocks include three blocks in Kwai Fong Estate which the authority earlier said it would redevelop following complaints of severe deterioration.
Residents of the three blocks have already started moving out.
The other blocks include another on Kwai Fong Estate, three blocks in Kwai Hing Estate, five blocks in Tsz Man, two in Kwai Shing East, two in Shek Lei, one in Tsz Oi, three in Pak Tin, one in Sau Mau Ping, three in Lam Tin, one in Wong Chuk Hang and one in Shek Pai Wan.
A government official said yesterday that although the worst affected blocks have survived several typhoons in the past years, they are below the normal standards of safety.

“They could be endangered by exceptional circumstances such as fire or freak storms,” he said.
The authority is now involved in talks with the Legal Department in cases where the structural construction of the blocks is found not to comply with original specifications.
A writ has already been filed in respect of blocks four to 11 at Kwai Fong Estate, seeking damages for breach of contract.
The estate was completed between 1971 and 1973.
The Attorney-General has instructed that no disclosure of the survey reports should be made so that the authority’s legal position is not prejudiced.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which looked into the case earlier, found no evidence of malpractice after contacting former government officials now living overseas.

An ICAC spokesman said the investigation was completed in June.
Despite extensive inquiries both in Hong Kong and overseas, it was concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate a criminal prosecution, the spokesman said.
The case was subsequently presented to the Operations Review Committee whose members endorsed that all possible lines of inquiries had been exhausted and no further investigation should be undertaken by the commission.
During the investigations, ICAC officers travelled to four countries and interviewed seven former senior civil servants living there, the spokesman said.
It is believed that officers interviewed during the investigation were former senior Public Works Department officials who held supervisory positions. The government official said the latest proposal is a consequence of the Kwai Fong Estate complaints which began earlier this year.
Hundreds of families moved out earlier this year from Block 6, which is now being demolished.
More than half the 1,798 families have moved out in the past few months from the other three blocks.
The official said it has been basically agreed with the Finance Branch that the super programme should be funded as a capital expenditure item through the Development Loan Fund.
Any production arising from the programme will be in addition to the current production targets, he said.

It is planned that the production from the development will provide 11,400 flats by 1992.
However the rehousing programme, the official said, will be carried out in a long and gradual process because of the limited availability of rehousing resources.
“It is impracticable to decant the blocks with a formal notice-to-quit,” he said.
The blocks must therefore be cleared on a strict priority basis, relying on voluntary agreements between the Housing Authority and tenants to quit, which usually takes about 18 months.
The programme should also have top priority for all available rental flats, he added.
Because of the shortage of existing resources, the authority is to secure a number of surplus school sites, probably in the urban areas, for additional housing production in the coming years.
Regarding possible public reaction to the issue, the government has also considered it impracticable to immediately move tenants because although some blocks are structurally not adequate, they are not in a state of imminent failure, the official said.
“To indicate that the buildings involved are less than completely safe could be misconstrued by the public as a situation of danger and could lead to unnecessary anxiety,” he said.
A press conference is expected to be held today to explain details of the programme while discussions will also be held by district boards, district management committees, mutual aid committees and residents associations in coming weeks.
Housing Authority officials briefed Umelco members on Tuesday.
On compensation, it is proposed that domestic tenants affected by the programme should be awarded rights similar to those accorded to Mark I and II tenants in terms of removal allowances and priority for Home Ownership Scheme purchases.

It is also proposed that assessment of compensation payable to tenants of graded shops and those on fixed terms should also follow existing policies.
The details of compensation, which could cost more than $60 million, will be submitted later to the Housing Authority’s Management Committee for discussion.
The director of the People’s Council on Public Housing Policy, Mr Fung Kin-kei, described the latest development on substandard blocks as “disastrous”.
“It is probably one of the biggest scandals in recent years,” he said.
Repeating their appeal in the Kwai Fong case, Mr Fung urged the government to take action to ensure the safety of all public housing estates.
The chairman of the demolished Block 5 Mutual Aid Committee at Kwai Fong, Mr Wong Kwong-tao, said he could not believe there were so many blocks that need to be demolished.
“It’s outrageous,” he said.


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Hong Kong plans demolition of 26 housing estates in 1985 – SCMP archive

Lydia Dunn (third from right) leading other Executive and Legislative Councillors to inspect the sub-standard housing blocks in Kwai Fong Estate on November 23, 1985. Photo: SCMP

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Executive and Legislative Councillor Lydia Dunn (left) received a petition from Tse Wah-kai, a representative of sixty shop owners and hawkers, during her visit to Kwai Fong Estate. Photo: SCMP

A Kwai Hing Estate representative talks to Legislative Councillor Allen Lee Peng-fei (right) during the Unofficial Members of the Executive Legislative Councils (Umelco) members’ visit to the substandard public housing blocks in Kwai Hing Estate. Photo: SCMP

A Kwai Hing Estate representative pointing out a defect to one of the visiting Umelco members. Photo: SCMP

Ho Kam-fai (left) and Lydia Dunn (second left) leading other Executive and Legislative Councillors to inspect the substandard housing blocks in Kwai Fong Estate. Photo: SCMP

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Society

On November 21, 1985, Housing Authority issued plan that aimed to evacuate 17,000 families over four years in infamous ‘26 blocks scandal’


On November 21, 1985, Housing Authority issued plan that aimed to evacuate 17,000 families over four years in infamous ‘26 blocks scandal’.


Hong Kong Housing Authority

Housing Department

Society for Community Organisation

Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC)

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}On This Day | Hong Kong plans demolition of 26 housing estates in 1985 – SCMP archive

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}On November 21, 1985, Housing Authority issued plan that aimed to evacuate 17,000 families over four years in infamous ‘26 blocks scandal’

Families to be evacuated

On This Day | Hong Kong plans demolition of 26 housing estates in 1985 – SCMP archive

On November 21, 1985, Housing Authority issued plan that aimed to evacuate 17,000 families over four years in infamous ‘26 blocks scandal’