HK Budget – $500 Million Allocated to Help Owners of Dilapidated Housing

Hong Kong – The government will inject an additional HK$500 million into a fund to help owners of run-down buildings to carry out maintenance on older and more dilapidated blocks, Financial Secretary John Tsang said.

The government-controlled Urban Renewal Authority will immediately start a redevelopment project in the area where a 50-year-old building collapsed last month, killing three.

“It will cover old buildings in 33 street numbers on Ma Tau Wai Road, Hok Yuen Street and Chun Tin Street,” Tsang said.

Since the collapse of the six-storey building at 45 Mau Tau Wai Road in Kowloon last month, there have been calls for investigations to determine safety of old buildings and improve the living environment of surrounding areas.