{
  "id": 3948688,
  "title": "Tai Po fire: 96.5% of Wang Fuk Court homeowners agree to gov’t buyback scheme as 70 remain undecided",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/tai-po-fire-96-5-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt-buyback-3948688",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T11:07:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/08/28/tai-po-fire-96-5-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt-buyback-scheme-as-70-remain-undecided/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than 96% of homeowners at the fire-affected Wang Fuk Court have agreed to sell their flats to the government through an official buyback scheme, with only 70 undecided as the deadline approaches, according to Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho. The scheme, launched in February following a devastating fire in November 2025 that killed 168 people, expires on Monday, with 1,914 of the 1,984 owners – 96.5% – having signed and returned their acceptance letters. An additional 1,526 homeowners have additionally signed the formal sale and purchase agreement, representing 76.9% of the total. The government is offering prices of HK$8,000 or HK$10,500 per square foot, contingent on whether the homeowner has paid land premiums. Flat selection will commence in September, with homeowners prioritized based on their acceptance letters submitted before June 30. The 10 estates involved in the scheme are located throughout Hong Kong, encompassing approximately 2,800 units with a collective saleable area exceeding 400 square feet.",
  "summary": "More than 96 per cent of homeowners at the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court have agreed to sell their flats to the government under an official buyback scheme that is due to expire next Monday, a senior official has said. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said on Friday that, as of Thursday, 1,914 of the estate’s […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Tai Po fire: 96.5% of Wang Fuk Court homeowners agree to gov’t buyback scheme as 70 remain undecided",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/tai-po-fire-96-5-of-wang-fuk-court-homeowners-agree-to-govt-buyback",
        "published": "2026-08-28T11:07:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}