The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is conducting a survey of Wang Fuk Court residential property owners who were displaced by the devastating Tai Po fire to assess their preliminary preferences concerning long-term resettlement, with the earliest possible option of being rehoused in the same neighborhood in 2029.

Social workers under the Social Welfare Department’s “one social worker per household” service will begin contacting flat owners, with the aim of collecting all responses by mid-to-late January for further analysis.

The deadly blaze that broke out at the estate on Nov 26 claimed 161 lives and displaced nearly 2,000 households. Currently, more than 4,400 residents are living in temporary housing, such as hotels and transitional housing.

In a statement issued on Friday, a government spokesperson said the government is taking note of residents’ preferences concerning their long-term rehousing arrangements.

“We hope to systematically and comprehensively collect Wang Fuk Court flat owners' opinions, further listening to and summarizing their preferences,” the spokesperson said.

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The questionnaire asks owners whether they would consider accepting a government buyout of their property rights for HK$6,000 ($769.7) per square foot for flats with an unpaid land premium, or HK$8,000 per sq ft for those with the premium paid. The amounts are in line with the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors’ estimates of valuations based on recent market transactions.

Owners will also have the option to purchase a new flat in one of five Home Ownership Scheme projects, or in one Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme project, located outside Tai Po, as outlined in the document, or to buy a private housing unit instead.

Regarding redevelopment within Tai Po, the government has shortlisted three potential sites, each with different projected timelines.

The site at Chung Nga Road offers the earliest possible occupancy, which is estimated to be in 2029. The Kwong Fuk Park site could be ready by 2033. The third option — redeveloping the original Wang Fuk Court site — involves a lengthier process to acquire all property rights and complete the demolition and reconstruction work; it is estimated that it will take nine to 10 years to complete, with occupancy projected for 2035 or later.

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Tai Po District Councilor Lo Hiu-fung described the government’s questionnaire as “scientific and objective”, noting that it provides a range of well-considered options as well as price estimates and reference materials aimed at assisting owners in making their choices.

The mid-to-late January deadline also allows owners sufficient time to consider the options without rushing, he said.

Within five hours of the survey’s launch, Lo said he had already received more than a dozen inquiries from homeowners, with many worried that submitting the form would lock them into a final decision.

“The government has emphasized this is only for gathering (information about) owners’ intentions — filling it out is not a final commitment,” he said.

With the fastest available move-in option still being at least nine months away, he urged the government to enhance support during the waiting period and encouraged owners to explicitly state their needs in the questionnaire, providing the government with more scientific data to formulate supportive measures.

Legislator Chan Hak-kan said that residents’ opinions are mixed, but many are hoping to resettle in Tai Po and for expedited rehousing. Given these preferences, he said that the option to build new flats at the Chung Nga Road site is likely to be more popular among residents than the decade-long wait required for the redevelopment of the original Wang Fuk Court.

Contact the writer at: stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com