Housing Authority chiefs yesterday put forward a blueprint they hope will shore up public confidence in government housing in the wake of a spate of building scandals.
The 40-point plan hammered out by representatives of the construction industry and various professional bodies comes after three months of closed-door discussions.
It was approved yesterday by the Executive Council and now has to be passed by Housing Authority members before two months of public consultation on its contents.
Under the blueprint, all new and existing Home Ownership Scheme flats would have a 10-year structural safety guarantee from the date of completion.
Housing Authority chairwoman Rosanna Wong Yick-ming described it as 'appropriate and necessary for home-buyers'.
The authority will discuss with the Government a move to bring all its buildings under the control of the Buildings Ordinance, meaning both rental units and scheme flats will need final approval from the Buildings Department.
Democratic Party housing policy spokesman, Lee Wing-tat welcomed the moves but said he believed they would take a long time to implement as they would need government co-operation and legislative amendments.