Elderly people made homeless by a landslide discovered yesterday that they would have to pay more than double the rent in their new flats.
The rent for a flat on Shekkipmei Estate where the landslide struck on Wednesday is about $300 a month, but many residents now face having to pay between $658 and $890 a month.
Some 720 people were forced to move out of the estate because of the danger of another landslide.
There are about 132 flats at Pak Tin and Un Chau Street elderly accommodation centres. The other residents will move into Hoi Fu Estate, Un Chau Street Estate, Pak Tin Estate and redeveloped flats in Shamshuipo.
'Though they have to pay more, the facilities here [at the Un Chau Street centre] are so much better than those in Shekkipmei,' said chief housing manager for redevelopment Lee Chu-yin. Asked whether the Housing Department would help those who might not be able to afford the rent, Mr Lee said: 'They can apply for financial assistance from the Social Welfare Department, or they can discuss their difficulties with us.' The Housing Department will show the elderly around the Un Chau Street centre and a lottery will be held on Monday to decide who can move in.
But Tsang Yok-sing of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong said he doubted the arrangements.
