Before 1948, the population of Ho Man Tin mostly lived in squatter housing, which were usually temporary structures constructed with non-durable materials like wood and iron-zinc plates and asbestos roofings.[1]
In 1948, Cottage Resettlement Areas (香港平房區）were introduced by the Hong Kong British Colonial Government in an attempt to reduce squatter housing. Four areas, including Ho Man Tin (Kings Park) were designated as Cottage Resettlement Areas. In these areas, the government provided basic utilities such as streetlights, a drainage system, communal fresh water supply, and communal toilets. In turn, re-settlers would have to fund and build standardized 13 by 13 feet housing units with materials abiding to the government's standards.[2] By 1954, Ho Man Tin and Kings Park resettlement area had a population of 20,950 residents, and was the most populated Cottage Resettlement Area in Hong Kong.[3]Non-profit organizations also played a key role in the expansion of Ho Man Tin's Cottage Area. For example, by mid 1956 the non-profit organization Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation (香港平民屋宇有限公司) have completed around 1500 cottages in Ho Man Tin, Tung Tau, Shek Shan, North Point and Chai Wan combined.[4]
In 1958, the government began clearing some Cottage Resettlement Areas in order to free up land for constructing higher density multi-storey resettlement blocks, Ho Man Tin was one of the first areas to be cleared due to its prime location in the heart of Kowloon.[5] Cottages were gradually replaced by public housing estates such as Oi Man Estate completed between 1974 and 1975.
Cascades is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 34. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and two government schools: Farm Road Government Primary School and Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School.[14]
Ho Man Tin Estate (Chinese: 何文田邨) consists of 9 residential blocks[17] and a shopping arcade,[18] including 8 blocks and the shopping arcade of Ho Man Tin (South) Estate (Chinese: 何文田(南)邨) on Quarry Hill.[19]
Oi Man Estate (Chinese: 愛民邨) is a public housing estate on No. 12 Hill, Kowloon City District, Kowloon, Hong Kong.[20] It is the largest public housing estate in Kowloon City District. It has a total of 12 residential blocks which were completed between 1974 and 1975. It was officially opened by the Acting Governor Sir Denys Roberts on 20 November 1975.[21]
The estate was built at a cost of $186 million and comprises 6,200 flats designed to house some 46,000 residents based on the Housing Authority's former space allocation standards of 35 square feet per person.[21] The "authorised population" of Oi Man Estate has since been revised to 18,900 residents.[20] It was designed by Housing Department architects, and followed the 1970s estate design innovation of being planned as to "provide every convenience for its residents from banks, markets to barbershops."[21] To this end the estate opened with a three-storey air-conditioned commercial complex, a market, and cooked food stalls.
The British Hong Kong Government admired the construction of the estate because its construction showed improvements in public housing standards in Hong Kong.[22] Oi Man Estate was on the itinerary of Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Hong Kong in 1975. Leader of the British Conservative Party Margaret Thatcher also visited in 1977 and toured Tak Man House, commenting on the modern living conditions, cleanliness of the block, and the cool air circulating within the Twin Tower block's atrium.[23]
Sheung Lok Estate (Chinese: 常樂邨) was built on the former site of Sheung Shing Street Temporary Housing Area, the estate has only one residential building built in 1998 on Quarry Hill.[24][25]
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