"Bottom-up Approach" Proposed by Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) Review Steering Committee in Line with RICS(HK)’ Recommendations to Development Bureau

from http://www.prnasia.com/pr/10/05/100088412-1.html
HONG KONG, May 17 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Entering into the final stage of URS Review’s consultation, the URS Review Steering Committee announced its final recommendations on 11 May.

Details matter

http://renewaltv.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/ursreview/

to summarize...

Green paper & White paper from H15 Concern Group

In 2009, H15 Concern Group consolidated its review of urban renewal strategy in the Green Paper and then shared it with the community and in many universities for four months (Feb. to June). They collected voices of more than a thousand people. With these comments, they continued their grassroots review and came up with the White Paper in August 2010. It is a more complete review, carefully going through those articles, attached documents and most important of all,  criticizing current implementation of the urban renewal strategy. 

H15 also suggested three scenarios as follows, 

1. To dissolve Urban Renewal Authority: unpack urban redevelopment and distribute related work among governmental sectors, for example, improving public housing, promoting building restoration, providing better loan for low-income community. Moreover, HK Housing Association can take charge in urban redevelopment in those areas that won't interest the developers. Planning Bureau should have stronger role in coordinating planning and housing in a more sustainable and holistic manner. There should be a sustainable development plan for every place.

2. Keeping Urban Renewal Authority in place yet repositioning the authority for implementing its strategy from bottom to top; community-based renewal rather than urban renewal

This approach can return the future of citizens/neighbors to their hands, ensuring democracy and justice of the process of redevelopment.

Main issues in this scenario:

1) How to ensure a democratic process?

2) How to free individual property owners and tenants from threat posed by developer or landlord who command most of the land in the neighborhood?

3) How to deal with cultural conservation?

4) Who should take a lead in the urban renewal process?

5) Should URA also take charge in education, assistance, co-ordinatoin and financing? How would the principles for financing be decided?

3. Revising Urban Renewal Strategy, (my reading: ensuring its implementation will be "people-oriented")

they suggest 8 articles to be revised....(to continue)