Flat owners displaced by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in seven decades will receive an annual subsidy of HK$150,000 (US$19,280) each to rent homes in the private market, under the latest government relief measure.
Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing‑hing on Thursday also said that both flat owners and tenants of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po would receive a one‑off subsidy of HK$50,000 to support their relocation.
Thousands of displaced residents are currently living in hotels, youth hostels or other temporary housing units.
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“Many residents have reflected their wish to have a choice. The rental subsidy would allow them to rent a place in the same district,” Cheuk said.
On November 26, a fire swept through seven of the eight residential blocks at Wang Fuk Court. The blaze, which raged for 43 hours, claimed 160 lives including that of a firefighter and displaced nearly 5,000 residents. Six people remain missing.
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The Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po comprises HK$300 million in government seed money, with the remainder coming from individual donors and organisations.