Lift Upgrading Programme for Previously Ineligible Flats

Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB can reconsider to (i) offer the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) to ineligible flats due to cost considerations, (ii) offer LUP again to those blocks of flats that have not been successful if there are changes to the owners of the benefiting units; and (b) whether HDB will withdraw the right of the owners of the benefiting units to ballot if their units have been rented out or they could not be contacted for whatever reasons.

When the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was introduced in 2001, there were more than 5,300 blocks that did not have direct lift access. Almost 1,000 blocks exceeded the LUP cost cap then. However, over time, HDB developed various cost-effective technical solutions so that more blocks could benefit from LUP. These efforts have reduced the number of ineligible blocks to around 150.

Despite HDB's best efforts, there will still be some blocks where the LUP cannot be offered due to excessively high costs or technical constraints. By necessity, we have to set a financial cap on how much we can build and spend on each benefiting unit. This is so that we spend prudently.

For blocks that have failed the LUP polling previously, HDB will evaluate appeals on a case-by-case basis. Key considerations are whether the circumstances have changed since the last polling and if there is at least 75% support from residents before appealing for LUP to be re-offered. This is regardless of whether there has been any change in owners of the benefiting units.

Singaporean flat owners are the eligible voters for LUP. Even if they have rented out their flats, they remain eligible to vote for LUP. As such, the rights of the owners of the benefiting units to ballot will not be withdrawn. If the eligible voter is unable to cast the vote for LUP, he can appoint a proxy to vote on his behalf during the polling period.