{
  "id": 3003434,
  "title": "Tai Po fire: Nearly 95% of Wang Fuk Court homeowners agree to gov’t buyback scheme",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/tai-po-fire-nearly-95-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt-3003434",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-24T11:03:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/08/24/tai-po-fire-nearly-95-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt-buyback-scheme/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly 95% of residents at the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po have agreed to the government's buyback plan, according to Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong. The buyout scheme, announced in February following a deadly fire that killed 168 people, aims to purchase 1,984 homes at the government-subsidized estate. As of August 21, 1,878 owners have expressed interest, marking 94.7% of the total. Additionally, 74.1% of homeowners have signed formal sale and purchase agreements with government-appointed administrators. Wong emphasized that the August 31 deadline for the government's offer is firm and will not be extended. Under the scheme, affected residents can buy a new private property or relocate to another subsidized estate via cash or flat exchange.",
  "summary": "Close to 95 percent of homeowners at the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court have signed and returned a letter of acceptance indicating that they were willing to sell their flats to the government under an official buyback plan. As of August 21, 1,878 owners at the Tai Po estate have expressed interest in the special property […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Tai Po fire: Nearly 95% of Wang Fuk Court homeowners agree to gov’t buyback scheme",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/tai-po-fire-nearly-95-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt",
        "published": "2026-08-24T11:03:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}