Hon Wai, director of the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), hinted yesterday that the rental on Seniors’ Residence units will be higher than that on social housing and close to that on private residences.
The official reiterated that the Seniors’ Residence is second highest of the residential tiers proposed by the Chief Executive, Ho Iat Seng. The Seniors’ Residence project is only one tier below private residence.
In considering future rentals, the social welfare official said the government would take into account the rents that senior residents would collect after leasing out the apartments in which they are living.
At the same time, the government will also take into account market-level rentals as a factor. It will try to strike a balance between the two levels.
He added that the expected finish date of the project is in three years time, and nobody knows what the market situation will then be like.
Moreover, Hon stressed that the services provided at the project is different from those at other housing projects. At the Seniors’ Residence, there will be healthcare and leisure facilities.
On the other hand, some senior residents have an opinion on the design of washroom and cloth-hanging facility in the future project. Hon explained that the lack of door sill in the toilet is to facilitate wheelchair access.
The washing machine, meanwhile, has drying functions so it can compensate for the lack of cloth-hanging facilities.
Hon stressed that the design can still be fine-tuned. AL
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