Permanent local residents aged 65 or over who meet certain conditions will soon be able to apply to rent a flat in the high-rise housing project which is being built in Plot P in Areia Preta district.
The Social Affairs Bureau (IAS) said that the project’s two hotel-style apartment towers, which broke ground in late 2020, are slated to be completed this December.
The buildings will contain 1,815 flats exclusively for seniors, and is the first project of its kind in the government’s housing programme. Various social service facilities will be set up on the podium levels.
The Social Welfare Bureau will oversee the future operation of the rental housing estate for seniors on Plot P.
The IAS said that the government is now drafting a by-law on the criteria for those eligible to apply for such a flat, adding that it expects to complete the drafting before the end of this year. Senior citizens should be able to move into the flats early next year.
The rental housing project for seniors on Plot P was first proposed by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng in early 2020, when he said that the project aimed to help senior citizens living in low-rise walk-ups improve their quality of life.
For the time being, the government is planning that permanent local residents aged 65 or over who are able to take care of themselves without the assistance of others will be eligible to apply for a flat at the rental housing estate for seniors on Plot P. The applications’ assessments will be carried out based on various factors such as the applicants’ family structure and current living conditions.
The government will set the rental price of the flats in the project slightly lower than the market price of private residential buildings in the neighbourhood.
The government set up show flats for the rental housing project for seniors in July 2021 and more than 13,500 people visited them between July 2021 and last Monday.
The government has revised its original design of the studio flats in the two towers after listening to opinions and suggestions from senior citizens.
The flats will have various barrier-free facilities and devices for keeping seniors safe, in addition to household electrical appliances, furniture and bathroom equipment.
The podium levels of the two towers will feature various facilities such as a club, a garden and shops, The Macau Post Daily reported.
