Early birds for Wang Fuk Court buy-back get first pick of subsidised houses

AI Summary

Residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire have begun selecting replacement homes through a HK$7.8 billion government buy-back scheme for Wang Fuk Court flats. Some participants are urging authorities to waive stamp duty to reduce the cost of finding a new home.

Residents who lost their homes in Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire started choosing their replacement flats on Tuesday, with some calling on authorities to introduce stamp duty waivers to help ease their financial burden. After last November’s blaze at Wang Fuk Court, authorities rolled out a HK$7.8 billion (US$994 million) plan to buy back flats at the eight-block subsidised housing estate. Under the scheme, participants can use the cash compensation to buy a flat on the private open market or...