The government announced yesterday that the first-phase application round for renting a flat in its high-rise rental residential building for senior citizens on Plot P in Areia Preta district will cover around 1,500 flats so that all eligible applicants in this round will be offered a 20-percent discount on their rent during their first three-year lease.
The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) made the announcement in a statement yesterday.
The building, the construction of which was completed in January this year, has a total of 1,815 studio-style units.
The bureau’s assessments of the rental flats’ applications are carried out based on a points-based system, according to which those living in low-rise walk-ups, those living alone, and those having held a local ID card for a longer time than others obtain a higher score.
The first-phase application period ran between November 6 and December 31 last year, during which around 1,500 applications were submitted.
The first-phase application round initially covered 759 flats, meaning that only the first 759 applicants obtaining the highest scores were initially slated to enjoy a 20-percent discount on their rent during their first three-year lease.
The other eligible applicants were initially slated to be put into the still-unscheduled next- and second-phase flat allocation, for which the government at that time had not yet decided whether it would offer a discount on their rent.
Yesterday’s statement said that with the aim of “meeting senior citizens’ needs and expectations”, the government had decided to increase the number of first-phase flats from 759 to around 1,500, enabling all eligible seniors who submitted their applications during the first-phase application period to enjoy a 20-percent discount on their rent during their first three-year lease.
Unchanged from its initially planned schedule, according to yesterday’s statement, the bureau will arrange for the first 759 applicants obtaining the highest scores to move into their flats in the fourth quarter.
The statement said that the bureau will arrange for the other eligible applicants to move into their flats next year.
The housing estate, the first of its kind in the government’s housing programme, aims to help senior citizens living in low-rise walk-ups improve their living quality.
In general, permanent local residents aged 65 or over capable of taking care of themselves are eligible to apply for a flat there.
Earlier this month, the government completed its assessments to verify whether all eligible applicants are capable of taking care of themselves.
Supermarket & health-education centre
Meanwhile, yesterday’s statement also announced that one of the four shop units on the estate’s ground floor will house a supermarket.
According to the statement, the Health Bureau (SSM) will run a facility which will place special emphasis on providing seniors living there with health education, with the aim of encouraging them to stay in good health.
This photo taken last month shows the rental housing building for seniors on Plot P in Areia Preta district. – Photo: Tony Wong
