Hong Kong authorities have expressed confidence in swiftly identifying a location in Tai Po to build subsidised flats as part of resettlement options being reviewed for victims left homeless by the deadly inferno last month.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun on Saturday outlined several options to resettle displaced residents in Wang Fuk Court, while underscoring the importance of gauging their views first at this stage.
Some options considered were purchasing property rights from homeowners, prioritising displaced residents for subsidised flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), building new flats in Tai Po, and allowing those eligible to live in public housing.
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Wong, who heads the new government task force on providing emergency accommodation arrangements for those affected by the blaze, said the government originally had no plan to build any subsidised flats in Tai Po in the next few years but this could change following the tragedy.
“We have looked into this and we are confident that we can find a place in Tai Po to build these units as soon as possible,” he said.
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Wong said it usually took around five years to complete a HOS project from scratch. He said he was confident that the government could speed things up for Wang Fuk Court victims, but stopped short of offering a time frame.