MOP19m in subsidies used for last year’s housing maintenance

In 2016, the Housing Bureau (IH) granted MOP19 million in subsidies for the maintenance of Macau’s buildings, according to a statement released by IH last week.

Last year, IH received 313 applications for financial support for building maintenance. Over 10 million patacas were granted to 115 applicants seeking assistance for the repair of facilities at common areas of buildings, including gates, water, electric and sewage facilities.

Additionally, over MOP8 million in subsidies were approved for other building maintenance programs. Some 5o applications requested building management funds, with the bureau granting MOP820,000 to each applicant for the selection of a management committee and to establish a common sinking fund.

Around MOP80,000 was granted in subsidies to applicants for the repair of fire control systems and to test elevators. MOP58,000 was offered to buildings in need of repairs, including balconies and other structures.

Sixteen applications were rejected, including four regarding building maintenance programs. The main reasons for rejection were due to applicant management committees lacking the right to administrate areas involved in the application, applicants providing incomplete documents and applicants requesting amounts higher than market prices.

IH announced that, starting from this year, the bureau will issue building maintenance approvals figures every quarter in order to increase its work transparency.

The bureau also announced that forty-nine local families saw their right to a unit through Macau’s economical housing program annulled because they were found in possession of residences in town. Prior to January 27, IH notified a total of 6,307 families to submit documents required by the authority in order to issue approval for them to obtain economical housing.