Press Releases
Year 2020
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30 Dec 2020
URA offers services to facilitate redevelopment of sites held by Non-governmental Organisations for multiple uses
In response to the 2019 Policy Address announced by the Chief Executive on the initiatives to identify land to increase housing supply, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (30 December) that a facilitation scheme (the Scheme) will be launched on 1 January 2021 to facilitate non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to optimise their under-utilised sites. Through redevelopment, the URA will assist the NGOs to maximize the development potential of their existing sites by introducing mixed residential, commercial and community uses, while at the same time modernising the NGO facilities. The Scheme will be implemented by the Urban Redevelopment Facilitating Services Company Limited (URFS), a URA subsidiary, to provide services to facilitate redevelopment in two stages. The fi
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11 Dec 2020
URA to vet eligibility of applications for “Starter Homes” Pilot Project following assignment of priority numbers
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (11 December) conducted a random assignment of priority numbers (random assignment) for all the 4,909 applications for the 43 remaining “Starter Homes” units (SH) in its eResidence project. Officiated by URA Managing Director Ir Wai Chi-sing, the entire proceedings of the random assignment was witnessed by Mr Libra Fung of Lui & Mak Certified Public Accountants and video-taped for record. A ten-digit seed number, formed by the ten numbers drawn by Ir Wai, was input into a computer programme to randomly assign a priority number to each of the applicants. The arrangement of the seed number can enhance the randomness of the prioritisation calculated by the mathematical formulae of the computer programme, while allowing the accountant to verify th
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10 Dec 2020
URA to conduct random assignment of priority numbers for 43 “Starter Homes” units in eResidence
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) will conduct a random assignment of priority numbers (random assignment) tomorrow (11 December) for the 4,909 applications for the 43 remaining “Starter Homes” units in its eResidence project. A computer programme, comprised of a set of mathematical formulae verified by an independent auditor to randomly assign a priority number to each of the applicants, has been devised for tomorrow’s exercise. The entire proceedings of random assignment will be witnessed by a professional independent accountant and video-taped for record. Upon completion of the random assignment, the list of assigned priority numbers and the video will be uploaded to the eResidence’s website (www.eresidence.hk) later on the same day. Applicants can check their assigned priority
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1 Dec 2020
Temporary closure of URA facilities
In view of the Government’s latest measures in response to the COVID-19 epidemic situation, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (1 December) that its public facilities will be temporarily closed, starting from tomorrow (2 December). All educational activities and docent services will also be temporarily suspended until further notice. Facilities to be temporarily closed include the Urban Renewal Exploration Centre, SPORTS EXPO, as well as the community spaces, exhibition areas and multi-purpose rooms of H6 CONET, 7 Mallory Street and 618 Shanghai Street. All the entrances and exits of H6 CONET will remain open to facilitate public access to the six adjacent streets during the closure period. While the Urban Renewal Resource Centre will remain open during office hou
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25 Nov 2020
Responses by URA to the 2020 Policy Address
In response to the announcement made by the Chief Executive in the 2020 Policy Address today (Wednesday) on the new initiatives to increase housing and build a liveable city, a spokesman of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) said the URA welcomes the Government’s new initiatives and will render its support to them. The URA makes the following remarks responding to the ongoing and new initiatives as mentioned in the Policy Address and Supplement: Redevelopment of Tai Hang Sai Estate in Shek Kip Mei The URA welcomes the support from Government to the redevelopment of Tai Hang Sai Estate (THSE), aiming to improve the living conditions of the residents, while at the same time maximise the development potential of the existing land to increase housing supply. The URA and the Hong Kong
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24 Nov 2020
Positive response with over 4,906 applications received for 43 “Starter Homes” units at URA’s eResidence
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) receives more than 4,906 applications for its 43 remaining units in eResidence which are designated as “Starter Homes” (SH) units upon the close of application submission at 7pm on 23 November 2020. Since the commencement of applications for the 43 SH units on 10 November 2020, more than 410 visitors have viewed the on-site show flats, while the enquiry service hotline has received over 1,320 enquiries on information including eligibility criteria, sales arrangement and show-flat appointment. The show flats will remain open for viewing until 21 December 2020 for those applicants who have submitted their applications. Those applicants who are interested to view the show flats are requested to make appointments via the online booking system (www.eres
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20 Nov 2020
URA welcomes appointments to the Board
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (20 November 2020) welcomes the Government’s appointment/reappointment of four non-executive directors (non-official) of the URA Board, for a term of three years with effect from 1 December 2020. The three new non-official non-executive directors are Mr William Chan Fu-keung, Mr Kwok Wai-keung and Mr Tony Tse Wai-chuen, whereas Mr Evan Au Yang Chi-chun is re-appointed as non-official non-executive director. “The members of the Board come from a wide spectrum of professions and sectors in the community with extensive experience and expertise. Their involvement will support the URA in fulfilling the important mission of taking forward urban renewal in Hong Kong. On behalf of the URA Board, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to the th
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16 Nov 2020
URA displays “LeaveHomeSafe” venue QR codes to support Government’s launch of COVID-19 exposure notification mobile app
In response to the launch of the Government’s “LeaveHomeSafe” COVID-19 exposure notification mobile app which is available for public download starting from today (16 November), the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has arranged for display the “LeaveHomeSafe” venue QR codes at its 43 venues including offices, public facilities and properties held by the URA, to facilitate members of the public to record the date and time for checking into venues, receiving COVID-19 exposure notifications and health advice. The URA venues showing the QR codes include its headquarters in Sheung Wan, all district offices, public facilitates, development projects, preservation and revitalisation projects, commercial properties that are owned and managed by the URA, as well as the seven shopping malls jointly
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9 Nov 2020
43 “Starter Homes” units at URA’s eResidence open for application starting 10 November
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announces today (9 November 2020) that a total of 43 remaining units in eResidence are designated as “Starter Homes” (SH) units and open to eligible persons for application starting from 10 November 2020 till 7pm on 23 November 2020. These 43 units are the remaining units in eResidence after the sale of the 450 units under the SH Pilot Project in 2019. In accordance with the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance, the URA uploaded the updated sales brochure on 5 November 2020 and published the price list today on the eResidence website (www.eresidence.hk) and the Sales of First-hand Residential Properties Electronic Platform (www.srpe.gov.hk). In response to the 2019 Policy Address made by the Chief Executive on the new initiatives o
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19 Oct 2020
URA issues acquisition offers to Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Development Scheme
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (19 October 2020) issued acquisition offers to property owners affected by the Kai Tak Road/Sa Po Road Development Scheme (the Project) in Kowloon City. Eligible owner-occupiers of domestic properties of the Project will be offered $17,698 per square foot of saleable area, which is the unit rate of a seven-year old notional replacement flat situated in the same locality (“Notional Unit Rate”). The Notional Unit Rate was approved by the Land, Rehousing and Compensation Committee (LRCC) of the URA Board. In line with the established mechanism, the URA appointed seven independent consultancy firms by open ballot to assess the Notional Unit Rate for the Project. The Notional Unit Rate was assessed by independent surveyors on 9 October, based on the