The Social Welfare Department plans to buy at least 5% more short-term accommodation places from self-financing hostels for street sleepers.

Director of Social Welfare Patrick Nip tonight talked to homeless people and visited an activity centre and a hostel for street sleepers operated by the Christian Concern for the Homeless Association in Sham Shui Po.

"The Government is concerned about the needs of street sleepers. We have provided a wide range of support services to address their emergency needs and enhance their work motivation and skills to help them give up street sleeping and become self-reliant," Mr Nip said.

The department has formed three integrated services teams by subventing non-governmental organisations to offer tailor-made and one-stop services across the city.

An extra $20,000 has been allocated to each team for emergency funds in 2009-10 while charitable trust funds have been raised by $1.35 million to $8.5 million to offer temporary cash grants to individuals and families, including street sleepers, to help tide them over financial difficulties arising from emergencies.

Non-government organisations are also offered funds to operate five hostels and a temporary shelter, providing 192 short-term accommodation places for street sleepers. Up to November, the number of street sleepers registered by the department was 421, recording a moderate drop for the third straight month.

Mr Nip said he hopes the situation will continue to improve along with the enhanced services provided by the department and the ongoing economic recovery.