KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — City Hall has allocated RM150 million for public housing projects in Budget 2017, including RM80 million for the construction of council homes designed especially for working youths.
Mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said the council homes, to be located in Kampung Sungai Udang, Segambut, Razak Mansion, Sungai Besi and Kampung Keramat in Titiwangsa, would be different from the People’s Housing Project (PPR) as it catered to different groups of the city population.
“Due to the misuse of PPR homes, where some units have been sublet to third parties for RM500 to RM600 a month, we build this project to cater to families who are able to rent space for the same price but with condominium facilities, such as swimming pool and parking space,” he said at the tabling of the Budget yesterday.
“After enforcement carried out this year, we seized over 400 units of PPR homes that had been misused.”
Mohd Amin said there were more than 50,000 applicants on the waiting list for PPR homes, but fewer than 1,000 units to cater to the demand.
“For existing PPR units, we are prioritising those who have urgent needs, such as single mothers or cancer patients,” he said.
“The new council homes project is to meet the growing demand for rental housing since there are no new PPR houses coming up.”
He said the council homes were for rent only for a five-year tenure to encourage youths to buy their own property once financially stable.
The project includes 1,025 units measuring 900 sq ft in Sungai Udang to be rented out for RM500 to RM600 per month, 500 units of 600 sq ft units at Razak Mansion to cater to newlyweds and available at RM350 to RM400 month, and a dormitory-style apartment block with five rooms per unit with expected monthly rental of between RM50 and RM100.
Work on the projects has started and is expected to complete in 2018.
Besides the council homes, RM166.7 million has been allocated for maintenance works on PPR homes, and RM50.4 million will be used for replacement and upgrading of elevators, systems upgrades for electricity, internal water supply, and other utilities in PPR and existing public housing.
A total of RM2.871 billion is allocated for City Hall’s Budget 2017, an increase of RM840,000 from last year, with 60 per cent or RM1.727 billion allocated for administration and the remaining 40 per cent or RM1.143 billion for development.
The Budget includes an allocation of RM16.1 million for culture, arts, and sports and a special programme for the hosting of the SEA Games next year.
Mohd Amin said focus would be on beautifying the city, accommodation, and food and beverages in preparing for the Games.
