Name of the Organization : Hong Kong Housing Authority
Type of Facility : Apply For Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) July 2014
Location : Hong Kong
Country : China
Deadline : 30 July 2014
Website : http://www.housingauthority.gov.hk/e…eme/index.html
Related : Hong Kong Housing Authority EFAS Application Status Check : www.statusin.org/3483.html
Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) :
You may be able to enjoy an early flat allocation by joining our Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) which is launched according to available housing resources. If you receive a letter inviting you to join the EFAS, do not miss the chance.
The application period for the Express Flat Allocation Scheme is from 10 July 2014 to 30 July 2014.
Application Deadline :
Applicants with valid Public Rental Housing (PRH) application and registration date or equivalent date of registration (equivalent date of registration must be adopted if it is found in the application) on or before 31 March 2014 (application numbers G1348366-7 / U0363238-1* or earlier), are eligible to apply for this scheme if they fulfill the Seven-year Residence Rule and hold valid housing offer(s). Invitation letters have been sent to all eligible applicants individually. Those who are eligible and interested in joining this scheme but have not received the invitation letter by 17 July 2014 may check through the Housing Authority Hotline at 2712 2712 or download the Application Form and the Application Guide in this webpage. All applicants have to return the completed original application form to the Housing Department within the application period. (*numbers are for reference only)
Applicants have to return the completed original application form to the Housing Department within the above application period by any of the following ways :
1.Place it into the designated collection box at the reception counter of Podium Level 1, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre (Address : 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon) during office hours ;
2.Submit it directly to the Sham Shui Po Housing Information Centre (Address : Podium Level, Un Chau Shopping Centre, Kowloon) during office hours ;
3.Mail it to “Express Flat Allocation Scheme”, Lettings (2) Unit, Housing Department, PL 1, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon ; or
4.Mail it to “Express Flat Allocation Scheme” at P.O. Box 89192, Kowloon City Post Office.
Note :
Please note that the submission date of application will be determined by the postal chop for forms submitted by post. Late application will not be considered.
Applicants not interested in this scheme need not inform the Housing Department. Their PRH applications will continue with the normal course in accordance with the prevailing PRH policies and procedures provided that the applications are still valid.
Download Form : https://www.statusin.org/uploads/3481…ation-form.pdf
Highlights of the Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS)
1. Under the EFAS, eligible Public Rental Housing (PRH) applicants may have an chance earlier to be allocated PRH units. Some flats are offered with rent reduction periods.
2.The EFAS is launched in accordance with the housing resources available and conducted in mode of flat selection. Flats to be included for selection are less popular. There is no locality restriction for EFAS applicants. Eligible applicants can select a flat from the list of remaining flats available for selection in accordance with the allocation standard and with reference to the number of authorized members in their PRH applications.
3. The flats offered for selection include vacant rental units of PRH estates in various districts. Some are considered to be desirable in terms of surroundings, transportation network, community service, shopping and medical facilities, etc. Some may have involved in unpleasant incidents, while the floor level, orientation or internal layout of some other units may be less desirable. For example, Po Tin Estate and Tin Yan Estate (Phase 1) in the New Territories have toilets smaller than those in other PRH units.
4. Rent Reduction incentives – Tenants who take up PRH flats with effective vacancy period of 12 months or more will be granted rent-reduction. The period of rent reduction is determined by the period of effective vacancy (“Effective vacancy period” is the period during which the unit is under normal letting so that it may differ from the actual vacancy period). Moreover, the applicant cannot apply for Housing Department (HD)’s Rent Assistance Scheme during the period. Upon selecting a flat, applicants are required to sign an undertaking to acknowledge that they cannot request a transfer within three years from the date of commencement of the tenancy agreement in respect of the selected flat. HD may exercise discretion for special cases verified by relevant departments/organizations, or on ground of overcrowding relief or transfers upon demand of the HD. (Rent allowance can be made to eligible Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. If CSSA recipients residing in public housing receive any rent-free incentives or rent-reduction incentives, Social Welfare Department will not pay rent allowance or will only pay rent allowance at an amount equal to the actual rent paid after deducting the rent-reduction incentives, up to the appropriate maximum rent allowance during the incentive period. For further enquiries, please contact the responsible Social Security Field Unit.)
5. Having accepted the flat through EFAS, the applicant and his/her family members cannot request any transfer within three years from the commencement date of the tenancy agreement. HD may exercise discretion for special cases verified by relevant departments/organizations, or on ground of overcrowding relief or transfers upon demand of the HD.
6. Applicant who has obtained a PRH flat through this exercise and subsequently applies for the purchase of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats with Green Form (including surplus HOS and new HOS flats) sold by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) within three years from the commencement date of the tenancy agreement, he/she will be treated as he/she was White Form (WF) applicant in the flat selection order and will be put under the WF queue. Any HOS flat taken up by him/her will be counted against the WF quota. Upon purchase of an HOS flat, he/she will have to surrender his/her PRH flat to the HA like other Green Form applicants.
7. For applicants (including their family members) whose previous PRH tenancy has been terminated (PRH includes Interim Housing) resulting in a two-year debarment restriction to PRH application, they are not eligible to join this Scheme within the two-year debarment period (except with special approval). For those with their debarment imposed after the application closing date, their EFAS application will also be cancelled accordingly.
8. For applicants who have been evicted from PRH (PRH includes Interim Housing) due to unsettled rent-in-arrears and are blacklisted, if they fail to settle the outstanding debts, they or any of their adult family members are not allowed to participate in flat selection procedures unless all rent arrears and debts incurred have been settled before their scheduled flat selection date. If they fail to do so, their EFAS application will be cancelled.
9. If an applicant refuses the housing offer after completing the flat selection procedures and is issued with an offer letter, or fails to turn up for completing intake formalities at the concerned Estate Office, his/her PRH application will be recorded with one “Unreasonable Refusal”. This also applies to applicants selecting flats in Po Tin Estate and Tin Yan Estate (Phase 1). It will not be counted as an “Unreasonable Refusal”, if the applicant has informed HD of his/her withdrawal before the issue of the offer letter. According to the prevailing policy, if an applicant rejects all of the three housing offers without “acceptable reasons”, his/her application will be cancelled.
10. Applicant who has not been invited for flat selection procedures, or has not attended the procedures upon invitation, or has not selected a flat during the flat selection, will not be accorded with one count of “Unreasonable Refusal”. It will not affect their PRH application which will continue with the normal course of processing in accordance with the prevailing PRH policies and procedures provided that the application is still valid.
11. If the PRH application has been verified as eligible for public housing and the application is ready for allocation (except for frozen cases), joining this scheme will not affect the chance of being allocated a flat under the normal queue. It is thus possible that offer letter will be issued under his/her normal PRH application, inviting the applicant to complete the intake formalities (including final offer). In that case, the applicant has to decide whether to accept the offer or not. If he/she accepts the offer and completes all the intake formalities, his/her EFAS application will be cancelled. If the applicant refuses the offer, his/her EFAS application will not be affected provided that he/she still holds valid housing offer(s) upon that refusal. If the applicant refuses to accept the final offer leading to cancellation of his/her PRH application, his/her EFAS application will be cancelled accordingly.
Contact :
For enquiry, please call the Housing Authority Hotline 2712 2712.