Hong Kong authorities have said that residents of fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court will be allowed to return to their flats to collect personal belongings by late April – nearly five months after the city’s deadliest inferno in decades killed 168 people and displaced nearly 5,000 at the Tai Po estate. The announcement came a day…
Hong Kong authorities will continue to provide an annual rental subsidy of HK$150,000 (US$19,193) to victims displaced by the deadly Tai Po blaze, even if they can only move into their new homes 2½ years later under the “flat-for-flat” resettlement scheme, a senior official has said. Deputy financial secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun also said on…
Some affected residents have continued to express reservations over a Hong Kong government plan to resettle survivors of the Tai Po fire, saying they prefer in situ development as they fear an “unfair” flat selection process will leave their families with smaller homes. The residents urged the government to provide more clarity on how the…
Hong Kong authorities will spend about HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) to buy back homes damaged in the deadly Tai Po fire from flat owners, offering HK$8,000 to HK$10,500 per square foot as part of a long-term resettlement plan involving HK$4 billion in public funds. Deputy financial secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun unveiled the plan on Saturday,…
The Hong Kong government is set to unveil a resettlement plan for owners who lost their homes in the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po as early as Saturday, offering buy-back options at higher-than-expected prices, the South China Morning Post has learned. Government sources said the acquisition prices for properties without land premiums…
Tai Po district councillors have urged the government to expedite rebuilding plans and offer Wang Fuk Court residents a range of rehousing options after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, as officials pledged to weigh the pros and cons of each proposal. At the first meeting of Tai Po District Council since the fire on…
Members of an independent committee created to investigate Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades inspected the scene of the blaze on Tuesday morning to get a better understanding of the actual environment and conditions at Wang Fuk Court. Judge David Lok Kai-hong, the group’s chairman, was joined by fellow committee members such as Executive Council…
Hong Kong’s home affairs minister has urged landlords against “fishing in troubled waters” by raising rents to pocket government subsidies meant to help displaced residents of the Tai Po fire. The appeal came days after the government announced it would provide affected homeowners of the Wang Fuk Court fire with an annual rental subsidy of…
The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors has called on the government to introduce dedicated legislation and a new statutory body to fast-track the buy-back of Wang Fuk Court flats after the deadly fire, clearing the way for residents’ resettlement. Former president of the institute Chiu Kam-kuen, now chairman of its Housing Policy Panel, estimated that…
Some survivors of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have voiced concerns over reliving the tragedy and sharing personal information if they take part in an investigation ordered by the city’s leader, with psychologists calling for a balance between justice and compassion. A number of residents from Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which was engulfed…