Urban Renewal Authority 2018-19 Annual Report

11 MESSAGE FROM THE NEW CHAIRMAN United Front: Urban Regeneration for Better Living As I familiarised myself with the work of Urban Renewal Authority (URA) through meetings and visits to URA project sites after assuming the Chairmanship in May 2019, I contemplated the distinctive role of the organisation, and have perceived the fundamental dissimilarities between the URA and private developers in undertaking urban renewal. This was especially true when I visited various URA project sites where I was very impressed by the Authority’s urban renewal work under the “5R strategies” — Redevelopment, Rehabilitation, pReservation, Revitalisation and Retrofitting (5R works), carried out in accordance with its vision and mission of creating quality and vibrant urban living in Hong Kong. For years, the URA has committed to fulfilling the great responsibilities entrusted in it, not only for regenerating old districts, but also improving the living environment and fostering the sustainable future development of the city. During other visits to residents in our renovated rehousing blocks and families affected by our redevelopment projects, who are now rehoused in public rental housing, I felt the pressing need for urban renewal as these people recounted their days of living in dilapidated areas with poor environment. I have also realised that to effectively improve residents’ living conditions, the work of urban renewal requires not only an upgrade of hardware provisions, but also on the software side to put people first in our work to address the genuine needs of the residents, thereby bringing benefits to the people and the community at large.