Page 24 - URA Annual Report 2020-21

MAJOR EVENTS OF THE YEAR
APR The URA Board approved the implementation of rent relief measures for domestic and commercial tenants in URA’s properties, in addition to discussing with joint venture developers to offer different magnitude of rent relief for commercial tenants in the shopping malls under joint operation. Aiming to assist tenants and support employment amid economic downturn, the initiative, which has been extended three times in the year, would be effective until the end of September 2021.
MAY Two pilot projects in Kowloon City were launched to redevelop buildings under the Civil Servants’ Co-operative Building Society Scheme. Through restructuring and replanning, the projects will enhance district landscape, connectivity and accessibility, as well as maximise
development potential to increase housing supply.
JULH6 CONET, the community space located on the ground floor of The Center, was awarded Platinum, the highest rank in the category of ‘Interior Design Civic/Public’ in the 2020 Muse Design Awards for its innovative planning and design. In addition to being one of the three winners in the world under this category, the URA was the
only Hong Kong organisation receiving this award.
AUGJointly organised by URA, Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education and Hong Kong Design Institute, the Innovative Design Competition aimed to encourage students to create domestic devices for the elderly that could help achieve ‘ageing in place’ and improve hygiene of their living environment. The ‘U-trap Refill Automator’ won the ‘Gold Award’ with its feature to detect the water level in U-traps and refill water automatically when the water level falls too low, to ensure a water seal is present to block virus spread. Apart from providing idle flats for students to conduct field tests for the prototype device, the URA also commissioned the production of the basic version of U-Trap Refill Automator, to be installed in 2,000 tenant flats of four URA rehousing blocks and acquired properties of the redevelopment projects.
JUN
Upon signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Development Bureau on the launch of Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners (BMGSNO) to offer financial assistance and technical support to an expanded scope of beneficiaries for organising building rehabilitation works, the URA has become the sole organisation to administer all Government subsidy schemes for building rehabilitation.
20 URA ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21