To concentrate on its primary mission of providing subsidised public rental housing to people in need, the HKHA announced a plan to divest its retail and car parking facilities through public offering of a Real Estate Investment Trust (Link REIT). Proceeds from the divestment will help the HKHA to tide over its financial difficulties resulting from the cessation of the HOS, thus allowing it to pursue various measures to improve its finances in the longer term. The Link REIT was put out for public offer in December 2004. Two PRH tenants applied for a judicial review of the HKHA's power to divest one day before the close of the public offer period. Although the HKHA's power to divest has been affirmed by both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal, it could not achieve finality on the legal challenge before the scheduled time of listing. The HKHA therefore decided that it would prepare for a relaunch of the initial public offering after conclusion of all legal proceedings.