Page 66 - URA Annual Report 2020-21

CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY
Assisting Households in Ageing Districts to Relocate with Contentment
Redevelopment is more than just replacing buildings with new stock, but also about improving the living standards of displaced households. A majority of the buildings in our redevelopment projects are dilapidated and with safety hazards and hygiene problems. During 2020/21, acquisition offers were made to the owners of 460 property interests in the Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Project (KC-015). The cash compensation and ex- gratia payments allow affected domestic owner-occupiers to purchase replacement premises that are in better condition than their existing ones.
This year, a review on the acquisition and clearance policy was conducted to meet the changing circumstances and needs of stakeholders in our redevelopment projects. Board approval was obtained in July 2020. It is anticipated that the revised policy could provide better assistance to the owners, tenants and occupiers affected by URA’s redevelopment projects.
The URA also puts emphasis on enabling residents to retain their social network in the neighbourhood. A flat- for-flat (FFF) option is also available for those domestic owner-occupiers who prefer buying a flat at the same site after redevelopment (in-situ FFF units) or a flat at a new development in the same district. Alternatively, they may also choose to buy a flat at the completed Kai Tak Development. As of June 2021, a total of 36 owners had taken up URA’s offers comprising 31 FFF units in the Kai Tak Development and five in-situ FFFs.
Moreover, the URA takes responsibility to look after the need of affected domestic tenants by offering cash compensation or rehousing in public rental flats or units in the URA’s rehousing blocks. Our staff often go extra miles to help the affected tenants, whenever practicable, and address their individual needs. During the clearance process for the Kwun Tong Town Centre Project, the URA assisted an elderly tenant in her 90s who lived alone in a sub-divided flat to be rehoused in an elderly home for receiving better geriatric care. Follow-up support services were also provided to help her adapt to the new living environment.
Engaging the Community and Promoting Understanding
The URA commits to taking forward the ‘People-first’ approach in its urban renewal work across different stakeholders – the affected households and community members.
The Project Engagement Programme has been implemented since 2016 to strengthen our outreach support and establish relationships with affected owners and tenants of the properties in URA’s redevelopment projects. In 2020/21, the programme was conducted for Shing Tak Street/Ma Tau Chung Road Project (CBS-1:KC), Kau Pui Lung Road/Chi Kiang Street Project (CBS-2:KC) and Shantung Street/ Thistle Street Project (YTM-012). Since the start of engagement in mid- September 2020, 93% of the owners in CBS-1:KC were engaged in the first round and 83% of the owners were reached through an opinion survey in January 2021. Engagement for CBS-2:KC commenced in October 2020. For YTM-012, 34% of the residents and owners have been engaged since the start of the programme in March 2021.
62 URA ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21
Project Engagement Programme helps affected residents overcome their worries about redevelopment.