1. Housing problems in HK

3. The common housing problem in developed cities
Overcrowding: congested living condition
e.g. lack of privacy
Substandard housing: poor internal and public amenities
Poor living conditions
e.g. risk of fire, noise & air pollution
Socio-economic problems
e.g. many people live in slums, squatters and cage houses, crime
e.g. new migrants, the aged and the poor

4. Reasons behind the problem
Long history of development in inner city
Suburbanization and urban city decay
Economic prosperity
Migrants from developing countries
Government Policies on Housing & Rental control

5. Housing problems in HK
A history

6. Case study in HK The Shek Kip Mei fire (1953)
- a disastrous fire swept through a squatter camp, leaving > homeless
The era of re-housing people (1950s)
- > 2 million in the mid-1950s
- self-help concepts? Why or why not?
Development of public housing and the new towns, Home Ownership Scheme, setting up of the Housing Authority (1970s-1990s)
Subsidized scheme (1990s-2000s)
e.g. My Home Purchase Scheme

7. Other cases

8. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Squatter settlement problems
1. Relocation housing scheme
2. Upgrading schemes
3. Sites and services schemes
e.g. World Bank (self-help scheme)
The lesson we learn from this case for Egypt and Kenya?

9. Singapore Impressive one E.g. the supporting policies
Refer to T.B. Place 60, p

10. How about the MDCs? E.g. Birmingham, UK E.g. Los Angeles, USA
The basic problems?

11. Solution
1) Urban Renewal/ Redevelopment
2) New Town Development

12. Urban Redevelopment
In May 2001, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA)was established
It is a statutory body
Taking up the tasks of urban redevelopment in HK

13. Urban Renewal Authority
FOUR directions
The 4Rs are Redevelopment, Rehabilitation, pReservation and Revitalisation

14. Purposes
To improve the living and built environment in inner city by providing more open space and other public amenities
To reduce population density, housing density and transport problems in inner city

15. Purposes To demolish the slums and squatter settlements
To build new buildings under supervision and planning
To have a balanced & well-planned land uses

16. Difficulties Huge cost Resumption of land Time & money consuming
Need to preserve those old buildings with historical and architectural values
Complex house/land ownership

17. Difficulties Rehousing problems The poor can not afford to move
Old tenants are reluctant to move due to strong sense of belonging

18. Solution Legislation arrangements to help land acquisition
Reasonable compensation
Provision of some public housing units

19. New Town Development Accommodate the overspill population
Pleasant environment and amenities
Provide jobs
Maintain a balanced socio-economic composition of population

20. Problems Difficult to persuade Increase urban encroachment
Land use conflict