Special work arrangements for Housing Authority to be extended

The following press release is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     In response to the Government's announcement that special work arrangements for government departments will be extended to reduce social contacts and the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) announced today (February 14) that the following arrangements will be implemented until February 23 tentatively to provide basic and limited services to members of the public:
 

• All Estate Management Offices (EMOs) of public housing estates will be open from 10am to 1 pm on February 17 (Monday), February 19 (Wednesday) and February 21 (Friday) to provide limited general management services for public housing estates and handle cases with prior appointments. For enquiries outside the opening hours, residents may call the contact telephone numbers provided by the respective EMOs, and staff will render assistance as much as practicable. The EMOs' shroff offices will be closed temporarily from February 17 to 21. Residents can pay rent at more than 1,000 locations, such as convenience stores and supermarkets. They may also make payments via the Payment by Phone Service (PPS). For details, please browse the following website: www.housingauthority.gov.hk/tc/public-housing/rent-related-matters/rent-payment-methods/index.html;

• The Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Sales Unit and the White Form Secondary Market Scheme (WSM) Unit in the Lok Fu Customer Service Centre and the Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme Sales Unit in Kwun Tong will be temporarily closed until further notice. The HOS Secondary Market Scheme (SMS) Unit in Lung Cheung Office Block, Wong Tai Sin, will provide limited services from 10am to 1pm on February 17 (Monday) and February 18 (Tuesday) in relation to applications for the Letter of Nomination under the SMS and the WSM. The Home Assistance Loan Unit in Lung Cheung Office Block, Wong Tai Sin, will provide limited services from 10am to 1pm on February 20(Thursday) in relation to matters under the Home Assistance Loan Scheme and the Home Purchase Loan Scheme;

• All public rental housing application offices including the Lok Fu Customer Service Centre Office and the Sham Shui Po Housing Information Centre will be closed until further notice. All detailed vetting interviews, as well as flat selection under the Territory-wide Overcrowding Relief Exercise and the Living Space Improvement Transfer Scheme will also be suspended until further notice;

• The Clearance Housing Office and the Redevelopment Sub-section offices (Pak Tin and Mei Tung) as well as the Public Housing Resources Management Sub-section will also be closed until further notice;

• Specific closing times for tenders received through the Tender Boxes on the Ground Floor of the HA Headquarters Building at 33 Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, and all other HA offices on or before January 31 and February 7, 2020, have been extended to the same designated time on February 14 (Friday) while tenders which should be received on or after February 14 will not be affected; and

• During the period, the Shroff Office on the Ground Floor of HA Headquarters will provide limited services. All payment collection services (including premium payments by Subsidised Sale Flats Scheme owners to enable them to complete transactions of their flats) with the exception of rental payment collections will remain in operation.

     In addition, due to the current work arrangements, the HA may not be able to reply to public enquiries, requests or complaints in a timely manner.

     For enquiries, please call the HA hotline on 2712 2712.