Housing & estates

• Miss Cheryl Chan raised concerns about ensuring budget cooked food and halal options at HDB coffee shops, suggesting the Ministry act as an anchor operator or centrally source ingredients for small operators.
• Desmond Lee stated that HDB’s Budget Meals initiative already requires rental coffee shops to offer at least four budget meals and two budget drinks, with one halal option included.
• HDB declined to directly participate in the food industry, citing its core mandate, but will collaborate with agencies to support SMEs in upgrading capabilities.
• A halal stall has been required in HDB rental coffee shops since 2005, and the new budget meal rule reinforces this with at least one halal meal among the four.

• Town Councils are autonomous entities that decide on their own contracting models, including for facility management services.
• Currently, most Town Councils do not use outcome-based contracts for facility management.
• The Government plans to raise awareness of outcome-based contracting, such as through the Building and Construction Authority’s guide on FM procurement.

• Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean’s review and the CPIB investigation concluded that Ministers Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan did not commit any corruption, abuse of power, or conflict of interest in renting state properties at Ridout Road, with all transactions conducted at market rates and proper recusal procedures followed.
• The debate highlighted concerns over the rental of 26 Ridout Road, including the acquisition of adjacent land, the rental pricing methodology based on gross floor area rather than land size, and the absence of open tender, with Ministers clarifying that these were standard SLA practices and that no preferential treatment was given.
• Minister Shanmugam explained his personal financial decision to rent the property, including his prior recusal from the process and his family’s property arrangements, while both Ministers emphasized their commitment to public service and integrity despite public perception issues.

• Dr Vivian Balakrishnan explained that his family rented 31 Ridout Road in 2018 to house his extended family, including married children and grandchildren, after seeing a "For Lease" sign and engaging a property agent who quoted $19,000 monthly rent for the dilapidated property.
• The minister noted the property was in severe disrepair with leaking roofs, rotting floors, termite infestation, and overgrown grounds, leading his family to spend over $200,000 on improvements they cannot recover, and they were unaware of prior lower bids or guide rents until after signing the tenancy agreement.
• He emphasized that his family acted above board, dealt professionally with the agent and government officials, and paid $20,000 monthly after a renewal in 2022, stating their negotiations were not sharp but the tenancy was conducted with utmost integrity.

• The Minister confirmed that the rental transactions for 26 and 31 Ridout Road followed standard SLA procedures, with rents determined by independent valuers who were unaware of the tenants' identities, and the CPIB found no corruption or preferential treatment.
• SLA's management of heritage Black and White bungalows involves balancing the preservation of historical and architectural value with optimizing their usage, including adapting marketing and leasing strategies to market conditions and exploring longer lease terms to encourage tenant investment in upkeep.
• The works carried out on the properties, including conservation-mandated repairs and tenant-funded improvements, were conducted in line with standard practices, with any tree felling requiring NParks approval based on arborist reports due to safety concerns.

• The CPIB investigation found no evidence of corruption, criminal wrongdoing, preferential treatment, or abuse of position by Ministers Shanmugam and Balakrishnan in the rental of 26 and 31 Ridout Road, and the Attorney-General's Chambers agreed with the findings.
• Both Ministers and involved public officers properly declared and recused themselves from any potential conflict of interest, with Minister Shanmugam removing himself from the decision-making chain regarding his rental due to his oversight of SLA.
• The rental transactions followed SLA's prevailing policies and processes, with rents determined at fair market value based on independent valuations and comparable properties, and tenancy terms aligned with standard practices for substantial tenant improvements.

The Singapore Turf Club (STC) will close by March 2027 to redevelop the site for housing and leisure facilities, addressing land constraints and declining spectatorship.
Support measures include job placement and skills training for affected STC employees and trainers, and responsible rehoming or exportation of the 700 racehorses.
Infrastructure planning with the Ministry of Transport will assess traffic impact, and heritage elements of the STC will be commemorated in future developments.

• Multiple MPs raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, transparency, and the conduct of Ministers who leased state properties at Ridout Road, citing concerns over privileged information, the Code of Conduct for Ministers, and the fairness of the Singapore Land Authority's (SLA) tender and bidding processes.
• Specific inquiries focused on whether SLA followed standard procedures, how rental rates and terms were set, the involvement of Ministers in official decisions regarding the leases, and the costs and maintenance of the properties.
• The Prime Minister's response, delivered by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, deferred answering the 23 questions to a later ministerial statement during the same parliamentary sitting.

• The Minister outlined that the ABSD is calibrated based on factors like economic conditions, property market outlook, price and income trends, and buyer profiles, with recent increases implemented in April 2023 following earlier measures in December 2021 and September 2022.
• The ABSD revisions aim to moderate demand and prioritize owner-occupation by Singaporeans, affecting only about 10% of transactions in 2022 and not impacting first-time local buyers, who constitute 90% of transactions.
• The government does not expect the ABSD changes to significantly impact the rental market, as most foreigners rent rather than buy, and upcoming housing completions (40,000 in 2023 and 100,000 by 2025) are expected to ease rental pressures.
• The ABSD adjustments are also not expected to affect the commercial property market significantly, as it is driven by business considerations and has historically remained stable after past ABSD increases.
• Authorities will continue monitoring both residential and commercial property markets to ensure stability and sustainability, taking further steps if necessary.

• Gan Thiam Poh asked about buyers of million-dollar HDB resale flats who previously owned private property.
• Desmond Lee revealed that 389 HDB resale flats were sold for at least $1 million between April 2022 and March 2023.
• Among these buyers, 108 (about 30%) previously owned or still held private property.
• The figures indicate a small but notable proportion of million-dollar HDB buyers had private property experience.

• The top three concerns for families with school-going children in rental housing are financial circumstances, their children’s future, and health and housing stability.
• These families aspire to purchase a flat, build up savings, and see their children do well in school.
• The Ministry’s ComLink programme provides Comprehensive, Convenient, and Coordinated support to help families achieve Stability, Self-Reliance, and Social Mobility through action plans and community partnerships.

• Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for the percentage of new admissions to Children and Young Persons Homes who live in public rental flats over the past five years and whether the Ministry would collect this data if unavailable.
• Masagos Zulkifli B M M noted that he had previously answered a similar question in January 2023, and the trend has remained unchanged.
• The Ministry referenced an official report detailing children and young persons living in public rental flats at admission into places of safety from 2018 to 2021.

• Leong Mun Wai requested a yearly breakdown since 2010 of private property leases by tenant residency status, including Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, and non-residents.
• Lawrence Wong stated the government cannot provide data for the entire period requested, but shared figures from 2018 to the third quarter of 2022.
• In 2018 and 2019, about 15% of private property tenants were Singapore Citizens, rising to 19% in 2021 due to increased demand from locals needing temporary housing during COVID-19 construction delays.
• Foreign tenant demand declined during the pandemic but has returned to pre-COVID levels in 2022 as border restrictions eased.

• The government acknowledges that families may arrange property ownership differently for various reasons while considering tax implications, with Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) applied based on specific arrangements.
• ABSD is tiered for Singapore citizens and permanent residents, with no ABSD on first residential property, while foreigners face a flat 60% ABSD regardless of property count or ownership structure.
• Even if foreign families distribute properties across members to avoid ABSD, each property still incurs the 60% ABSD, and the government will continue monitoring the market for necessary adjustments.

• The Ministry of National Development raised Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty rates pre-emptively to moderate investment demand and prioritize owner-occupation for Singaporeans, following earlier cooling measures in December 2021 and September 2022.
• Despite moderating effects from previous measures and rising interest rates, private housing prices accelerated in Q1 2023 due to strong local and foreign investment demand, prompting action to prevent prices from running ahead of economic fundamentals.
• The ABSD changes are expected to affect only about 10% of transactions and will not impact first-time local buyers, who comprise the majority of the market, while rental pressures are expected to ease with upcoming residential completions.

• The Housing and Development Board (HDB), Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Environment Agency (NEA), National Parks Board (NParks) and Public Utilities Board (PUB) collectively accounted for 53% of municipal feedback through the OneService app from 2020 to 2022, with Town Councils handling another 44%.
• These five agencies took an average of two to seven working days to close cases, with the Municipal Services Office (MSO) tracking resolution quality and recurrence for complex issues.
• The OneService app uses AI through the OneService Kaki ChatBot to prompt users for better details and allows agencies to provide interim updates, with plans to study incorporating community resources like grassroots advisors.
• The app has over half a million user accounts and will be promoted further through non-digital means like banners, with additional features such as a "Help Neighbour" function and collaborations to share information about missing persons with dementia.

• Since 2023, HDB has penalised two renovation contractors with a $500 fine and six demerit points each for improper disposal of renovation debris on common property.
• Between 2018 and 2022, an average of five contractors per year were penalised for such improper disposal, and no contractor has been barred from HDB renovation works so far.
• Contractors who accumulate 24 demerit points within 24 months are barred from new HDB renovation works for 12 months, and Town Councils can also take action under their by-laws for illegal dumping.

• Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked why dedicated charging stations were chosen over alternatives like RFID-controlled power points and if they are the most cost-beneficial solution.
• The Minister explained that dedicated charging stations are fixed chargers with lower safety risks and faster charging speeds compared to non-fixed alternatives, which are limited to lower power under Singapore's Technical Reference 25 standards.
• The Minister noted that fixed chargers are the global standard for public charging networks and that Singapore will continue to monitor and facilitate safe advancements in charging technology.

• Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for National Development about guidelines on the number of birds that can be kept in an HDB flat.
• Desmond Lee responded that flat owners may keep small pets like birds, provided they do not cause nuisance or disturbance to neighbors.
• If pets cause issues, HDB advises owners to control the pets and may mediate to resolve disputes amicably.
• In persistent cases, flat owners may be asked to rehome the pet, with help from animal welfare groups if needed.
• HDB regularly reviews its pet ownership policies to balance the needs of different community segments.

• The Ministry of National Development and HDB currently provide alert systems for seniors in studio apartments or rental blocks and conduct checks based on lease management or feedback, while community partners engage at-risk seniors through outreach and trust-building.
• The government is reviewing the EASE programme and exploring technological solutions, including sensor-based monitoring systems, to support seniors living alone and prevent undetected incidents.
• Parliament members called for increased resources for Active Ageing Centres, potential legal reviews to allow more regular engagement with non-compliant seniors, and partnerships with organizations like the Red Cross to expand home monitoring programs nationally.