Early Buy-Back Applicants Get Priority in Subsidised Flat Selection After Tai Po Fire
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Residents who lost their homes in Hong Kong's deadly Tai Po fire started choosing their replacement flats on Tuesday, with some calling on authorities to introduce stamp duty waivers to help ease their financial burden. After last November's blaze at Wang Fuk Court, authorities rolled out a HK$7.8 billion (US$994 million) plan to buy back flats at the eight-block subsidised housing estate .
Key Points
- The government allocated HK$7.8 billion to buy back all flats at the eight-block Wang Fuk Court estate following last November's fatal fire
- First 35 households who signed acceptance letters by June 30 received priority selection rights to 4,400 new subsidised flats
- New flats span 10 estates in Kowloon Bay, Kai Tak, Tseung Kwan O, Kwun Tong, and Fanling, developed by Housing Authority and Housing Society
- Sierra Terrace in Fanling completed earlier this year; Shing Chi Court in Kowloon Bay due by end of this year; remaining estates ready 2027-2028
- Lee, first to select a flat, chose a 420 sq ft unit at Kai Yeung Court in Kai Tak, 40 sq ft smaller than his previous home
Why It Matters
The buy-back scheme represents one of Hong Kong's largest-ever emergency housing assistance programmes, affecting hundreds of families who lost their homes in a single incident . The outcome will set a precedent for how the government handles future residential disasters and could influence future subsidised housing policies across the territory.
The buy-back scheme represents one of Hong Kong's largest-ever emergency housing assistance programmes, affecting hundreds of families who lost their homes in a single incident . The outcome will set a precedent for how the government handles future residential disasters and could influence future subsidised housing policies across the territory.