Housing & estates — Topics

9 Jan 2023

Interim Accommodation for Applicants of HDB BTO Flats under Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme whose Flats Are Delayed

Joan Pereira asked if HDB will allow applicants whose BTO flats are delayed to select interim accommodation sites that expire before their new flats are completed.
The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme requires that PPHS sites have expiry dates at least four months after the BTO flat completion to avoid overlapping relocation.
HDB is increasing PPHS supply but cannot offer units to all applicants, encouraging them to consider other options like staying with family or renting privately.
Low-income households with no alternatives can seek HDB’s case-by-case assistance, such as Interim Rental Housing.

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9 Jan 2023

Possibility of Land between TPE and Fernvale Street to be Used for New HDB BTO Flats

Gan Thiam Poh asked whether the open land between TPE and Fernvale Street would be used for HDB BTO flats and, if so, when construction would begin.
Desmond Lee stated that the land is zoned for mixed uses including residential, civic, and recreational purposes under the URA Master Plan 2019.
He added that agencies are still developing plans for the area and will share details once they are finalized.

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9 Jan 2023

First-time Buyers' Chances of Securing HDB BTO Flats

First-time families get two ballot chances for BTO flats in non-mature estates, plus an additional chance for each subsequent application if unsuccessful, ensuring virtually all succeed within three tries.
The high chance of success applies even if the three applications in non-mature estates are not consecutive, as extra ballot chances are automatically given for any failed BTO application in these estates.
The count of unsuccessful applications resets if a family is offered a flat but declines to book it, so applicants are encouraged to accept offers when given the opportunity.

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9 Jan 2023

Extension of Rental Flats for Applicants under Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme to Those who Have Not Been Successful in Booking a Flat

Hazel Poa proposed extending the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme to applicants who have applied for BTO flats but have not successfully booked one.
Desmond Lee highlighted that the government is ramping up BTO flat supply, with plans to launch up to 100,000 flats from 2021 to 2025, and noted that most first-timer families get a chance to select a flat within three tries in non-mature estates.
The PPHS is intended to provide temporary housing for families waiting for their new BTO flats to be completed, and its limited supply will be prioritized for those who have already booked a BTO flat.
Given the current priorities and supply constraints, the government has no plans to extend the scheme to applicants who have not yet secured a BTO flat booking.

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9 Jan 2023

HDB Blocks Found Unsuitable for Lift Upgrading Programme or Where Residents will Incur More Than $100,000 Each for Installation of Direct Lift Access

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development about the 150 HDB blocks without direct lift access, seeking details on blocks unfeasible for the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) due to technical constraints, blocks technically feasible but with costs exceeding $100,000 per unit, and potential enhancements to the Lift Access Housing Grant scheme.
The Minister explained that over 1,000 of the initial 5,300 blocks without full lift access were found unfeasible for LUP due to cost or technical constraints, but innovative solutions have since been adopted, reducing the number of such blocks to about 140 with approximately 2,000 units remaining.
For these remaining blocks, costs per household can exceed $200,000, and residents with urgent medical or mobility needs can receive up to $30,000 under the Lift Access Housing Grant when purchasing another flat with direct lift access, with HDB monitoring and considering further enhancements as needed.

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9 Jan 2023

Waiting Time from Application to Key Collection for HDB BTO Flats

Hazel Poa asked whether HDB's published BTO waiting time includes the period from the first unsuccessful application to successful application and for related median and quartile data over the past decade.
Desmond Lee explained that the published waiting time only covers the duration from flat selection to key collection, based on construction timelines, and does not account for prior unsuccessful applications.
He noted that the time between unsuccessful and successful applications varies widely due to factors like applicant preferences and application frequency, making it impractical to track.
HDB does not collect or report the specific data on the full timeline from first application to key collection as requested.

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9 Jan 2023

CPF Members Whose Savings Are Withdrawn under Residential Properties Scheme for HDB Flat Purchases

As of December 2021, 39% of CPF members used their savings to buy HDB flats, with usage increasing with age and higher Ordinary Account balances; younger members with lower balances had lower usage rates.
Among HDB flats sold in 2021, about 90% allowed full refund of CPF savings with interest, while less than 1% of cases involved sales below market value where full refunds were not possible.
The CPF system is designed to support home ownership by allowing withdrawals for HDB purchases and requiring refunds from sale proceeds, with policies ensuring affordability and accessibility in public housing.

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9 Jan 2023

Correlation between Use of Prefab Technology and Incidence of Water Seepage in HDB Flats

Minister Desmond Lee stated there is no clear evidence linking the increased use of prefabrication technology to higher incidence of water seepage in HDB flats, noting the technology is designed to minimise such issues.
HDB has provided a five-year warranty against water seepage from external walls and inter-floor leaks for flats launched from 2005 onwards, exceeding the typical one-year industry norm.
Residents experiencing water seepage in external walls should report it to the Town Council, which can seek advice from HDB if needed.

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9 Jan 2023

Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3

Mr Leong Mun Wai argued that the Ang Mo Kio SERS is unprecedented because residents must top up cash for an equivalent replacement flat with a new 99-year lease, unlike past exercises where compensation covered the cost, which he claims undermines the viability of the future Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) and indicates a lack of transparency and compassion from the Government.
Senior Minister of State Sim Ann countered that SERS compensation has never been pegged to the price of a new flat with a full 99-year lease but is based on independent market valuation, and that the Ang Mo Kio outcome is consistent with past principles despite older leases, with 99% of residents not needing to top up if choosing options like the 50-year lease.
Ms Sim rejected the characterisation of unfairness, emphasising that VERS has not been announced yet but will not be as generous as SERS, and accused Mr Leong of blurring market expectations with policy commitments and shaping ungrounded expectations about VERS.
Mr Leong reiterated that past SERS exercises created an expectation of receiving a replacement flat without cash top-ups, and asked whether the Government still considers the Ang Mo Kio package different and if VERS compensation would be unattractive if analogous to Ang Mo Kio, to which Ms Sim affirmed the Government’s consistent and transparent communication on SERS and diminishing leases.

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9 Jan 2023

Breaches of HDB's Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) Rule and Steps to Ensure Flats are Owner-occupied during MOP

HDB ensures BTO flats are owner-occupied during the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) through a combination of regular inspections (500 random checks monthly), public and agent feedback, data analytics, and resale transaction scrutiny, with offenders facing penalties up to $50,000, compulsory acquisition, or debarment from future subsidized housing.
From 2017 to November 2022, HDB took enforcement action against 53 owners for MOP breaches (mostly non-occupation), with 21 flats compulsorily acquired, and the Council for Estate Agencies disciplined 18 property agents for assisting in such violations, including suspensions and financial penalties.
The government is reviewing MOP policies, considering suggestions like longer MOPs for popular flats, tiered subsidies, and enhanced detection methods, while balancing enforcement with homeowners' privacy and life-stage changes, and encourages public reporting via hotline or email.

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30 Nov 2022

Success Rate of Applicants for HDB BTO Flat

From 2019 to 2021, between 20% and 24% of first-timer families succeeded on their first attempt for a mature estate BTO flat.
Among those who eventually succeeded in mature estates, the median number of attempts before success was one, with less than 2% requiring more than five tries.
The government encourages applicants to consider non-mature estates, where virtually all first-timer families secure a flat within their first three attempts.

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30 Nov 2022

Reasons for Successful Applicants Not Taking up HDB BTO Flats

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked how reasons for not taking up BTO flats differ between mature and non-mature estates.
Minister Desmond Lee stated that reasons are similar across both estate types, including unavailability of preferred units, applying for other sales, or opting for resale flats.
HDB imposes penalties like non-selection counts to deter non-selection and ensure fairness, though flexibility may be applied case-by-case.

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30 Nov 2022

Eligibility of Buyers Below Age 35 for Subsidy and HDB Loan for BTO and Resale Flats

Leong Mun Wai asked for specific subsidy and loan details for buyers under 35 earning at the bottom quintile and median, including average subsidies, loan quantum, cash payment required, and monthly repayments.
Desmond Lee responded that the requested data for BTO and resale flat buyers under 35, broken down by income level, is provided in Table 1, listing average grants, maximum loan eligibility, median cash payment, and median monthly repayments in cash and CPF.
The debate centered on clarifying the financial support and costs for younger buyers at different income tiers for both BTO and resale flats.

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30 Nov 2022

Extensions Granted to Individuals Who Renounced Permanent Residency to Dispose of HDB Flat

Leong Mun Wai asked for data on extensions granted to individuals who renounced permanent residency to dispose of HDB flats, including the number of extensions, reasons, and cases where no extension was granted.
Desmond Lee stated that HDB does not allow former SPRs to retain flat ownership and will acquire the flat if not disposed of, with extensions considered case-by-case, such as for incoming owners needing more time to raise funds.
HDB does not track the number of extension requests, but in 2022, only about 90 flat owners who ceased to be SPRs were pending disposal, representing less than 0.01% of all HDB flat owners.

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30 Nov 2022

HDB Flats Owned by Singapore Citizens, Singapore Citizens and Non-resident Persons, and Permanent Residents

From 2011 to 2021, between 93% and 95% of HDB flats were owned exclusively by Singapore Citizen households, with the number ranging from 780,000 to 970,000 units each year.
The number of HDB flats owned by Singapore Permanent Resident households decreased from about 47,000 (6%) in 2010 to about 44,000 (4%) in 2021, partly due to a 2013 policy requiring SPRs to wait three years before owning an HDB flat.
Non-resident persons are not allowed to own HDB flats, and only households with at least one Singapore Citizen are eligible for subsidised Build-To-Order flats.

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30 Nov 2022

Property Tax Collected from Owner-occupied and Non-owner-occupied HDB Flats

Leong Mun Wai asked the Deputy Prime Minister for the annual percentage of total property tax collected from owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied HDB flats since 2000.
Lawrence Wong responded that the requested data over two decades is unavailable, but provided figures for 2018 to 2022.
During 2018 to 2022, owner-occupied HDB flats contributed an average of 1.3% of total property tax annually.
Non-owner-occupied HDB flats contributed an average of 1.4% of total property tax annually over the same period.

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30 Nov 2022

Warranty Period and Maintenance Costs for Retractable Clothes Drying Racks in HDB Flats

Murali Pillai asked about the warranty period, steps if racks fail after warranty, and the Town Council’s role and funding for maintenance of retractable clothes drying racks installed under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) for HDB flats built between 1987 and 1997.
Desmond Lee stated that the racks have a one-year defects liability period where contractors must fix faults, and after that, residents should contact the Town Council for major maintenance as the racks are common property.
He added that residents are encouraged to care for the racks through proper usage and routine cleaning, with leaflets provided at installation, while the Town Council handles repairs and maintenance thereafter.

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30 Nov 2022

Dealing Effectively with Overpopulation of Birds in HDB Estates

Murali Pillai asked whether NParks should lead in handling complaints about bird overpopulation in HDB estates to ensure proper ownership.
Desmond Lee explained that Town Councils are primarily responsible for managing feedback on pest birds, with NParks supporting them through advice, best practices, and collaborative measures.
NParks works with Town Councils on upstream mitigating actions like tree pruning and public awareness campaigns, and conducts enforcement against illegal bird-feeding.
The response emphasized continued collaboration between Town Councils and agencies to effectively manage pest bird issues.
NParks will continue to advise and support Town Councils in addressing bird-related complaints.

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30 Nov 2022

Efforts to Increase Supply of HDB BTO Flats in Non-mature Estates

The Minister for National Development, Desmond Lee, outlined HDB’s commitment to ramp up BTO flat supply in 2022 and 2023 in response to strong housing demand, with readiness to do more if needed.
HDB is streamlining development processes but faces site constraints such as interim uses, encumbrances, and environmental or heritage studies that can delay some planned BTO projects.
In the November 2022 BTO exercise, nearly 6,000 flats were launched in non-mature estates, and for 2022, total BTO launches exceeded 23,000 units—a 35% increase from 2021, with over half in non-mature estates.
MND and HDB will continue monitoring demand and adjusting supply to meet housing needs, offering a diverse range of flats across locations and budgets.
The Ministry emphasized maintaining a healthy supply of non-mature estate BTO sites at every launch to cater to first-time home buyers and those with different budget needs.

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30 Nov 2022

Personal Alarms linked to Larger Healthcare Network for HDB's Enhancement for Active Seniors Programme

Yip Hon Weng asked whether personal alarm systems linked to senior care and the healthcare network can be included in HDB's Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme to help seniors live independently and safely.
Desmond Lee confirmed that HDB, with MOH and GovTech, has already implemented personal alarm systems linked to Active Ageing Centres and a 24/7 helpline in 53 rental blocks with high senior concentrations.
The ministry is reviewing feedback from users and service providers on these systems before considering further expansion to more rental flats and sold flats under EASE.
The suggestion will be taken into account during the review process.

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