(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)
The Housing Bureau will establish the Public Housing Building Control Section (PBC) within the next month to replace the Independent Checking Unit, launching a new project-based regulatory regime to strengthen the oversight of large-scale maintenance and renovation works in courts and estates.
The Development Bureau and the Housing Bureau today jointly announced the details of the comprehensive reform measures, which are based on the findings of the independent committee’s report on the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.
The PBC will strengthen and focus regulation of existing buildings and maintenance works across all public rental housing (PRH) estates, subsidised sale housing courts and related facilities sold or divested by the Housing Authority (HA). It will also regulate new public housing development projects (including PRH and subsidised sale housing) developed by the HA, as well as relevant works for existing, non-divested PRH estates.
Announcing the measures at a press conference this morning, Deputy Financial Secretary & Acting Secretary for Housing Michael Wong said this new project-based model will provide macro-level co-ordination and comprehensive management of large-scale maintenance and renovation projects in housing courts and estates. He noted this will target high-risk, large-scale maintenance works to improve overall project co-ordination, communication and risk control.
Where individual public housing courts or estates carry out major building maintenance and renovation works regulated under the Buildings Ordinance, the Head of the PBC will set up a project-specific team to handle related works matters in an integrated manner. The team will assign a dedicated liaison officer to proactively contact the relevant Owners’ Corporation and provide necessary assistance.
In tandem, the Government will establish the Building Maintenance Support & Services Council (BMSSC) to provide more proactive support to owners in maintaining properties.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn noted that the BMSSC will provide end-to-end services with standard fees calculated on a cost-recovery basis. The preliminary estimate of the cost is several thousand dollars per household.
The Government has earmarked $100 million in this year’s Budget as start-up capital for the BMSSC to cover initial staff expenditure and operating expenses, with the council expected to achieve self-financing in the long run. An additional $200 million has also been earmarked to provide fee concessions to owners in need.
The Government aims to set up the BMSSC by the end of this year, with project tendering for owners commencing within the first quarter of 2027.
