Bringing Different Races Together Community Centres

1. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Bringing Different Races Together • Community Centres • Meeting place for different racial groups in the same estate • Interaction encouraged tolerance & understanding • Wide range of activities organised • Limit placed on proportion of races in every neighbourhood and block (March 1989)

2. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Bringing Different Races Together • 1980 : Govt observed certain housing estates had higher concentrations of the same race • Malay : Bedok, Tampines • Chinese : Hougang, Ang Mo Kio • Racial congregation the result of a free market • This could hinder social bonding • Mar 1989 : Limit placed on proportion of races in every neighbourhood and block • Aim to encourage people of different races to reside within a block

3. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion Source : SS Teachers’ Resource CD (Upper Sec)/Practice of Good Governance CDR1/SSS4RCD_A/03/Urban Renewal/1:54

4. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Meeting Needs of Different Income Groups • Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDC) • Provide housing for the middle-income group • HDB built bigger flats with better designs • Tampines and Choa Chu Kang • 1995 : Executive Condominium • Built by private sector • Will become private property after a certain number of years • Located in HDB housing estates • Swimming pools and tennis courts • Mixture of smaller and bigger flats • Interaction between different income groups

5. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Building a Sense of Belonging • End 1970s : Precinct Concept • The precinct as the basic planning unit of a new town • Precinct : Group of 4-8 blocks with a central spce; a few basic facilities to serve as focal point for residents • To build up community spirit

6. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Building a Sense of Belonging Residents’ Committees (RCs) • Set up in 1978 • Allow involvement of residents in matters directly concerning them • Encourages greater participation from the people in communal and social activities • Foster community identity • Promotes neighbourliness & identity among residents

7. 1.5 Promoting Social Cohesion • Building a Sense of Belonging • 1989 : Town Councils • HDB Estate management functions transferred to TCs • Residents given greater say in running own estates • TCs services : Collection of conservancy fees; landscaping, maintenance of essential services eg lift-rescue • Estb stronger community ties

8. 1.6 Looking Ahead • Meeting Needs of Single Citizens • 35 years old singles can buy resale flats • CPF Housing Grant for single citizens • Meeting Needs of Senior Citizens • Building of Studio Apartments • Non-slip floors, pull-cords alarm system • Improving HDB’s rental blocks resided by senior citizens • Lifts stopping at every lift, handrails, activity centre

9. Looking Ahead • Renewing Old Estates • Upgrading • Balcony • Utility Room • Improved Lift Lobby • Linkways / Covered shelters • Communal facilities • Residents’ choice of upgrading • 75% agreement required • Cost of upgrading shared by people and government

10. High density housing in Hong Kong

11. 2.1 The Housing Problem • Large-scale immigration • Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) • Communist takeover in China (1949) • Post-war baby boom • No Government planning • Provision of public housing left to private developers • Not enough homes built

12. 2.2 Resettling Squatters and Fire Victims • Fire at Shek Kip Mei Christmas Day 1953 • Forced government to be more active in providing public housing • Eight blocks of flats built in 1954 to settle the fire victims • More housing estates were also built to resettle people from the fire-prone squatters • Flats constructed remained overcrowded and lacking of hygiene and facilities

13. 2.3 Housing Lower-Income Families • Rental Housing • Low-cost rental housing scheme for lower-income families • Involvement of government-financed agencies • Building flats of higher standard • Temporary Housing Areas (THAs) • For homeless people who were not victims of natural disasters or residents of squatters • Materials to be provided by government • Became a permanent feature in Hong Kong

14. 2.4 Providing Quality Homes • The Hong Kong Housing Authority (1973) • To co-ordinate all aspects of public housing • Self-contained new towns proposed • Towns having their own facilities

15. The Hong Kong Housing Authority (1973)

16. The Hong Kong Housing Authority (1973)

17. Providing Quality Homes • New Towns • New Territories identified • Villages became large high-rise towns • Sha Tin • Other problems arose • Reluctance of employers to set up business in new town due to lack of proper infrastructure • Workers unwilling to receive lower pay

18. 2.5 Encouraging Home Ownership • Hopes to change from homeless immigrant society to home-owning society • Home Ownership Scheme • Flats sold at subsidised rates • Sale of flats not allowed within five years • Private Sector Participation Scheme • Private developers allowed to buy land to build flats • Prices of flats to be 30-50% lower than market price • Sale of flats not allowed within five years

19. 2.5 Encouraging Home Ownership Source :www.unchs.org/habrdd/conditions/ eastasia/hongkong.htm

20. 2.6 Modernising Old Estates • Conversion of resettlement flats into larger self-contained flats • Building of recreational & educational facilities • Schools, playgrounds and shopping centres • Redevelopment Programme • Demolishing existing buildings and rebuilding them into self-contained community estates • Shek Kip Mei

21. 2.7 Housing Senior Citizens • Welfare premises on the ground floor • Sheltered housing on the lower floors • Installation of alarm systems

22. 2.7 Housing Senior Citizens • Conclusion • Importance of Government’s role in housing • Need to strike a balance between people’s expectations and availability of resources Acknowledgement : Adaptation of text by Mr Robin Leong, East Spring Sec School