Residents seek lease terminations amid odor issues at elderly apartments

Three residents of the newly completed elderly apartments have expressed their intention to terminate their leases due to unpleasant odors, while seven others are seeking to change units due to persistent foul odors affecting their living conditions.

The first phase of move-ins to the senior apartment complex has been completed, but the ongoing second phase is encountering significant challenges.

Hon Wai, director of the Social Affairs Bureau, announced that over 520 households have already moved into the complex, bringing the current population to more than 780 residents. The next wave of residents is expected to move in after the Lunar New Year. However, the process has been overshadowed by complaints about unpleasant odors originating from the construction site.

“Three households have decided to cancel their leases,” Hon Wai confirmed to the press yesterday. “While the odor is one factor, there are additional reasons, which we will not disclose out of respect for their privacy.”

Hon Wai also reported that 10 residents had officially lodged complaints about the smell, with seven of them applying to transfer to different units.

In response, the government is collaborating with the construction team and relevant departments to mitigate the issue. Measures include improving sealing during the cleaning process and installing activated carbon filters to reduce odors.

“We need time to monitor the situation,” Hon Wai said. “If the smell persists across multiple units, moving residents may not resolve the problem.”

The foul odor at Av. Norte do Hipódromo in Areia Preta and the elderly housing facility originates from unpleasant smells overflowing from the drainage channels associated with the Lot P temporary housing project.

In a joint statement Monday, the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) and the Public Works Bureau (DSOP) said that the issue has been worsened by ongoing cleaning operation.

Residents have complained that the sewage interception pipes and the drainage outlet of the pumping station are clogged with stones and waste, causing the accumulation of sludge and the release of a foul smell.

To address the complaints, the government convened a cross-departmental coordination meeting. Officials anticipate completing a channel cleaning project aimed at resolving the odor problem by the end of the week. Victoria Chan