Wang Fuk Court owners began selecting new permanent homes on Tuesday, nearly a year after a devastating fire swept through the Tai Po housing estate and killed 168 people. About 35 households took part in the first flat selection session under a special government rehousing programme designed to help affected owners secure new homes.
The selection took place at the Hong Kong Housing Authority’s Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme Sales Office in Kwun Tong, where applicants received information about the homes available to them and were assisted through the selection process.
The government has set aside more than 4,400 flats across 10 housing projects operated by the Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society. The homes are being offered to Wang Fuk Court owners who have agreed to sell their property titles to the government and want to buy another subsidised home or take part in a flat for flat arrangement.
The number of homes reserved is considerably higher than the number of owners taking part in the exercise. Officials said this would give applicants a broad range of choices based on their preferred locations, flat sizes and other priorities.
First households selected by computer ballot
The government used a computer generated random ballot on Sept 15 to determine the first group of households invited to select flats, as well as those in later batches.
Around 1,700 owners have chosen to participate in the Special Sales Exercise, known as the SSE. Authorities expect the entire flat selection process to be completed by the end of November.
The government said officials would give applicants enough time to understand the available options before making their decisions. Staff will also provide assistance throughout the process, with the stated aim of allowing affected owners to make their selections with confidence.
The arrangement comes after months of work to address the housing needs of people whose homes were destroyed or severely affected by the fire.
For many owners, the flat selection process represents a practical step toward securing permanent accommodation after the disaster. Rather than being restricted to a single replacement development, participating households can choose among properties in several parts of Hong Kong.
Homes available across 10 developments
The 4,400 flats reserved for the programme are spread across 10 Housing Authority and Hong Kong Housing Society developments.
The projects are located in Kowloon Bay, Kai Tak, Kam Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Ping Shan, Tung Chung, Tai Po, Fanling and Kwun Tong.
The saleable areas range from about 26 square metres to approximately 52 square metres, giving households different options depending on their space requirements and preferences.
The government has also established a sales exhibition at the Green Form Sales Office in Kwun Tong. Exhibition panels and other materials provide information about the developments, allowing applicants to compare the projects before choosing a property.
The arrangement is intended to make the selection process more straightforward for people who may have different priorities. Some owners may want to remain close to Tai Po, while others may prefer another district because of work, schools, transport links or family circumstances.
Because more flats have been reserved than there are participating owners, officials said applicants would have a wide and varied selection.
Property transfer affects the purchase process
There is also a specific arrangement for owners whose Wang Fuk Court property titles have not yet been transferred to the government.
In such cases, the government will reserve a new flat for the owner during the selection stage. However, the Housing Authority or Hong Kong Housing Society will only sign the relevant sale and purchase agreement, or a provisional sale and purchase agreement, after the transfer of the Wang Fuk Court title has been completed and formally executed.
The process links the replacement home to the government’s acquisition of the original property title.
For owners who have already completed the required transfer, the purchase process can proceed according to the normal arrangements of the special exercise. For those whose transfers are still pending, the reservation system prevents their housing choices from being lost while the administrative process is completed.
Nearly all owners accepted government offer
The special rehousing exercise follows the government’s acquisition offer for Wang Fuk Court properties.
The deadline for owners to accept that offer expired in August. By then, 1,971 owners from Blocks A to H had signed and returned the Letter of Acceptance confirming their intention to sell their property titles to the government.
That figure represented 99.3 percent of the owners in the affected blocks.
Of those owners, about 1,700 decided to participate in the Special Sales Exercise and seek a replacement property through the government’s designated housing arrangements.
The high acceptance rate means that the government has been able to move forward with a large scale rehousing programme involving the overwhelming majority of affected property owners.
The flat selection exercise is separate from the immediate response to the fire, which involved recovering belongings, providing temporary accommodation and addressing the needs of residents affected by the disaster. The latest phase focuses on permanent housing arrangements for owners who have agreed to the government’s acquisition terms.
A choice between locations and flat sizes
The availability of homes in several districts gives applicants the opportunity to consider more than the size of a replacement flat.
Location can influence commuting time, access to public transport, proximity to relatives and the availability of schools, shops and community services. For households rebuilding their lives after losing their previous homes, those practical considerations can be as important as the property itself.
The 26 square metre to 52 square metre range also means that households will have different options depending on the size of their family and their individual housing needs.
The sales exhibition is intended to give applicants a clearer picture before they make their final selections. Officials are also expected to guide applicants through the procedures, documents and property information required at each stage.
The government’s approach places emphasis on allowing affected owners enough time to understand their choices rather than forcing them through a rapid selection process.
With the first households now choosing their new homes, the programme has entered one of its most important stages. About 1,700 participating owners are expected to complete their selections by the end of November, drawing a new line under the housing arrangements that followed the Wang Fuk Court disaster.
For Wang Fuk Court owners, which factors should matter most when choosing a permanent replacement home: location, size, transport access or proximity to family?