New penalties facing public housing tenants

The Housing Authority (HA) on Friday announced new rules that punish public housing tenants for feeding feral pigeons or hanging objects from their windows. According to the HA, tenants will receive seven penalty points for "feeding feral pigeons or other wild animals". Tenants will also be slapped with seven penalty points for "hanging or placing objects with potential risk of falling from height outside the window, balcony or façade". Currently, residents are restricted from placing objects in corridors or staircases only. In addition, tenants will receive 15 penalty points if they resist or obstruct the HA or its authorised personnel in carrying out their duties. Any household that accumulates 16 points within a two-year period faces eviction. The new measures will take effect in the fourth quarter of the year. "The enhanced measures aim to provide a clean, hygienic and safe living environment for public rental housing (PRH) residents and strengthen the effectiveness of enforcement," an HA spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson added that the HA will step up promotion before the new regulations come into force.