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Housing problems in HK. The common housing problem in developed cities. Overcrowding: congested living condition e.g. lack of privacy Substandard housing: poor internal and public amenities Poor living conditions e.g. risk of fire, noise & air pollution Socio-economic problems
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The common housing problem in developed cities • Overcrowding: congested living condition e.g. lack of privacy • Substandard housing: poor internal and public amenities • Poor living conditions e.g. risk of fire, noise & air pollution • Socio-economic problems • e.g. many people live in slums, squatters and cage houses, crime e.g. new migrants, the aged and the poor
Reasons behind the problem • Long history of development in inner city • Suburbanization and urban city decay • Economic prosperity • Migrants from developing countries • Government Policies on Housing & Rental control
Housing problems in HK A history
Case study in HK • The Shek Kip Mei fire (1953) - a disastrous fire swept through a squatter camp, leaving > 50000 homeless • The era of re-housing people (1950s) - > 2 million in the mid-1950s - self-help concepts? Why or why not? • Development of public housing and the new towns, Home Ownership Scheme, setting up of the Housing Authority (1970s-1990s) • Subsidized scheme (1990s-2000s) e.g. My Home Purchase Scheme
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia • Squatter settlement problems • 1. Relocation housing scheme • 2. Upgrading schemes • 3. Sites and services schemes e.g. World Bank (self-help scheme) • The lesson we learn from this case for Egypt and Kenya?
Singapore • Impressive one • E.g. the supporting policies Refer to T.B. Place 60, p.450-451
How about the MDCs? • E.g. Birmingham, UK • E.g. Los Angeles, USA • The basic problems?
Solution • 1) Urban Renewal/ Redevelopment • 2) New Town Development
Urban Redevelopment • In May 2001, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA)was established • It is a statutory body • Taking up the tasks of urban redevelopment in HK
Urban Renewal Authority • FOUR directions • The 4Rs are Redevelopment, Rehabilitation, pReservation and Revitalisation
Purposes • To improve the living and built environment in inner city by providing more open space and other public amenities • To reduce population density, housing density and transport problems in inner city
Purposes • To demolish the slums and squatter settlements • To build new buildings under supervision and planning • To have a balanced & well-planned land uses
Difficulties • Huge cost • Resumption of land Time & money consuming Need to preserve those old buildings with historical and architectural values Complex house/land ownership
Difficulties • Rehousing problems The poor can not afford to move Old tenants are reluctant to move due to strong sense of belonging
Solution • Legislation arrangements to help land acquisition • Reasonable compensation • Provision of some public housing units
New Town Development • Accommodate the overspill population • Pleasant environment and amenities • Provide jobs • Maintain a balanced socio-economic composition of population
Problems • Difficult to persuade • Increase urban encroachment • Land use conflict