The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau clarified on Tuesday that flat owners of Wang Chi House remain eligible to apply for the annual rental grant of HK$150,000 per unit, totaling HK$300,000 over two years, provided they sign a declaration to prevent misuse of funds.
If owners choose to move back to their units after the block reopens, they will not be eligible for the next subsidy payment.
This follows last week's government announcement on distributing the grant for Wang Fuk Court owners.
Owners of the unaffected Wang Chi House remain eligible for this grant but must agree to the declaration, which specifies that the unit will not be used as a residence or rented out.
The Bureau explained on social media that the grant will be disbursed on a semi-annual basis, with each payment amounting to HK$75,000, requiring no reimbursement claims or submission of leases and rent receipts.
If residents opt for government transitional housing, they can still receive the full subsidy. After rent deductions, households could be left with several thousand dollars for living expenses, making the two-year subsidy roughly equivalent to over six years of transitional housing rent.
The declaration signed by Wang Chi House owners is specifically designed to prevent misuse of the grant.
When the building reopens, owners may return to their unit while receiving the subsidy, but they will lose eligibility for the following payment.
The biannual disbursement offers owners greater flexibility in managing their living arrangements according to their individual circumstances.
