Early birds for Wang Fuk Court buy-back get first pick of subsidised houses

Residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire at Wang Fuk Court began selecting their replacement flats on Tuesday, with some residents urging authorities to waive stamp duty to ease financial strain. After the November blaze, a HK$7.8 billion (US$994 million) buy-back plan was implemented to compensate flat owners for their homes.

Participants can either sell their compensation for a private flat or join a special sales exercise to obtain new subsidised housing via a "flat-for-flat" arrangement. The first 35 households to accept their compensation by June 30 received priority selection for 4,400 flats across 10 subsidised housing estates, including Kai Yeung Court in Kowloon Bay and Sierra Terrace in Fanling.

Despite their urgency to find a new home, some residents expressed disappointment with the available options, citing concerns over size, location, and quality. Lee, who chose a Kai Tak flat, noted the inconvenience of transport and higher costs, while Cheung, who selected a more spacious home in Kwun Tong, expressed dissatisfaction with the limited choices.

Tam, the last of the batch to pick a flat, was relieved to secure a place in the New Territories, as she and her husband had been forced to find alternative housing due to unaccommodating landlords. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin announced that additional applicants would be included in a random selection over the following two months.