Housing Act, 1966

Duty of housing authority to make scheme of priorities for letting housing accommodation.

60.—(1) It shall be the duty of a housing authority to make in accordance with this section within one year from the commencement hereof and thereafter from time to time as they shall think fit, a scheme determining the priorities to be accorded to categories of persons specified in the scheme in the letting of dwellings provided by the authority under this Act and of which they are the owner.

(2) Where a housing authority have made a scheme under this section, they may from time to time review the scheme and make in it any amendments which they consider proper.

(3) In making or amending a scheme under this section the housing authority shall have regard to the following primary objectives:

(a) the repair, closure or demolition of houses which are unfit in any respect for human habitation;

(b) the elimination of overcrowding;

(c) the provision of adequate and suitable housing accommodation for persons (including elderly or disabled persons) who, in the opinion of the housing authority are in need of and are unable to provide such accommodation from their own resources;

(d) the provision of adequate and suitable housing accommodation for persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis.

(4) A scheme made under this section may specify that particular priorities shall be accorded to particular categories of persons in the letting of particular dwellings.

(5) A scheme under this section, or an amendment to any such scheme, shall be made only with the approval of the Minister.

(6) The Minister may from time to time require a housing authority as respects any matter in a scheme made under this section to vary the scheme in a manner directed by him and thereupon it shall be the duty of the authority to comply with the direction within such time as may be specified by the Minister in that behalf, and this subsection shall neither be construed nor operate to enable the Minister to direct the letting of a dwelling to any individual person.

(7) Whenever a scheme under this section comes into force the following shall apply:

(a) regulations which, immediately before the scheme came into force, applied in respect of dwellings to which the scheme relates, shall, in so far as they provide for the determination of preferences or priorities to be accorded to persons in the letting of the dwellings, cease to have effect;

(b) lettings by the housing authority of dwellings to which the scheme relates shall be in accordance with the provisions of the scheme.

(8) For the purpose of determining the order of priority to be followed in the making of lettings to persons in accordance with the relevant scheme under this section the housing authority shall obtain and have regard to a report from their chief medical officer.

(9) A housing authority shall, upon request, permit a scheme made by them under this section to be inspected during office hours by any person.

(10) The making of a scheme under this section or an amendment to any such scheme shall be a reserved function.