The Housing Authority's Subsidised Housing Committee today endorsed measures to enhance the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates by adding three and widening the scope of two misdeed items.

The enhanced measures will take effect in the fourth quarter of 2024.

One of the newly-added misdeed items is "feeding feral pigeons or other wild animals" which carries seven penalty points.

The new items also include "hanging or placing objects with potential risk of falling from height outside the window, balcony or façade (including canopy, air-conditioner hood and other projections)" with seven penalty points and the application of a warning system. 

Misdeed item A2 "hanging floor mop outside the window or balcony" will be deleted as it will be incorporated into this new misdeed item.

The other new item, which carries 15 penalty points, is "resisting or obstructing the Housing Authority (HA) or person(s) authorised by HA in execution of duties in accordance with the Housing Ordinance or other statutory requirements, or policies imposed by HA".

The scope of two misdeed items has been widened, including "dripping oil from exhaust fan" which has been amended to "dripping oil from exhaust fan, range hood duct".

The other is "obstructing corridors or stairs with sundry items rendering cleansing difficult" which has been amended to "placing any sundry items, property, or objects in estate common areas (including but not limited to common areas inside or outside any buildings of the estate) that cause obstruction or render cleansing difficult".

The committee also endorsed the application of all misdeed items under the marking scheme to public rental housing tenants in Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) estates. The HA will work with owners' corporations of the TPS estates for the implementation details and to hear their views.