Housing & estates — Topics

28 Nov 2022

Appeals to Switch from Commercial Bank to HDB Housing Loans

From 2019 to 2021, HDB received about 90 appeals per year from homeowners to switch from commercial bank loans to HDB loans, but none were approved because HDB does not allow such refinancing.
HDB's policy is to focus on supporting lower-income buyers with concessionary loans and avoid competing with financial institutions to preserve financing options for future flat buyers.
HDB encourages flat owners facing loan difficulties to work with their lenders early on restructuring solutions and can refer them to agencies for assistance if needed.
The government has established a standard workflow with financial institutions and agencies to support distressed flat owners, including exploring loan restructuring and housing options if foreclosure occurs.
HDB remains committed to its core mission of providing affordable public housing rather than expanding into mortgage refinancing.

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28 Nov 2022

Update on HDB's Remaking Our Heartland Programme

The Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme has rejuvenated 13 HDB towns since 2007, with the first two batches largely completed and the third batch (Woodlands, Toa Payoh, Pasir Ris) now being implemented to benefit over half a million residents.
For the fourth batch (Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Choa Chu Kang, Queenstown), HDB has intensified public engagement through surveys and focus group discussions to co-create rejuvenation plans tailored to residents’ needs.
The government remains committed to proceeding with ROH 4 despite HDB’s recent deficit, but will manage spending carefully to ensure cost effectiveness and fiscal sustainability.

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9 Nov 2022

Extension of One-year Period for Reimbursement of HDB Upgrading Subsidy for Singapore Permanent Residents

Murali Pillai inquired about extending the one-year reimbursement period for HDB upgrading subsidies for Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) who later become Singapore Citizens.
Desmond Lee clarified that subsidies are only for Singapore Citizen households, with SPRs required to pay full costs initially but can claim within one year if a co-owner gains citizenship.
He stated that appeals for reimbursement beyond the one-year period are assessed individually on a case-by-case basis.

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9 Nov 2022

Past and Projected Data on Attribution of HDB Housing Demand

Leong Mun Wai asked for quantitative data on HDB housing demand over the past 20 years and projections, broken down by smaller household sizes, aspirations for larger units, growing residential population, and rental demand from non-local populations.
Desmond Lee stated that HDB’s planning accounts for demographic and socioeconomic trends, noting a 29% increase in HDB units versus a 10% rise in residents over 20 years, with average household size shrinking from 3.57 to 3.09.
The government projects robust future demand due to strong household formation and smaller households, with HDB planning to launch up to 23,000 flats annually in 2022-2023, a 35% increase from 2021.
Non-citizen rental demand is minimal due to a quota system implemented in 2014 to prevent foreign enclaves and preserve the Singaporean character of HDB estates.

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9 Nov 2022

Highest Rental Registered Annually for Whole HDB Flat by Type and Location

Leong Mun Wai requested data on the highest annual rental amounts for whole HDB flats by type and location since 2010.
Desmond Lee stated that median highest rents for 2010 ranged from $1,100 to $2,200 across mature and non-mature estates, and from $1,350 to $2,800 in 2022.
No rental data is available for Prime Location Public Housing flats as they were only launched in late 2021 and remain under construction.

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9 Nov 2022

Approvals for Permanent Resident Households to Rent Out Bedrooms in HDB Flats

Leong Mun Wai asked why rental approvals for Permanent Resident households to rent out HDB bedrooms have declined since 2018, whether they are always allowed to rent out bedrooms, and what changes have been made to approval requirements.
Since January 2013, Permanent Resident flat owners cannot rent out entire flats but can rent out spare bedrooms in 3-room or larger flats, provided owners and all occupants stay with tenants.
From May 2018, all flat owners must get HDB approval before renting out bedrooms to ensure eligibility; no changes to approval requirements have occurred since then.
The decline in new approvals for Permanent Resident households from 2018 may be due to open market forces or personal choices of the owners, based on figures excluding renewals.

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9 Nov 2022

HDB Flats Rented Out by Owners Residing Overseas and Locally

Leong Mun Wai requested statistics on the annual number of HDB flats fully rented out by owners residing locally and overseas from 2010 to 2021.
Desmond Lee reported that between 2010 and 2021, an average of 35,000 to 60,000 HDB flats were rented out annually by Singaporean owners.
He noted that less than 10% of the HDB flat owners renting out their flats were residing overseas, typically for work or study reasons.
The response clarified that households composed only of Singapore Permanent Resident owners are not permitted to rent out their flats.

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9 Nov 2022

HDB Flat Owners who are Occupiers in Their Flats and Yet Own Private Properties or Rent Out Bedrooms in Their Flats

Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for National Development for annual numbers and percentages since 2010 of HDB flat owners who are occupiers and fall into categories such as owning private property, renting out bedrooms, or both.
Desmond Lee referred to a prior response given on 7 November 2022 to a similar question by Gerald Giam, pointing to the official report for detailed data.
The debate highlights concerns about HDB flat owners who live in their flats but also own private residential properties or rent out rooms, which may relate to housing policy compliance and fairness.
No new data was presented in this exchange, as the information was previously provided in an earlier parliamentary session.

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9 Nov 2022

Allowing Singles or Estranged Persons to Live Alone Instead of Requiring Co-tenants for HDB Rental Flats

HDB maintains the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) on a flat-sharing basis to accommodate more low-income Singaporeans, but allows exceptions for singles or estranged persons with exceptional circumstances like medical grounds to rent a flat alone.
HDB has introduced measures to improve privacy and reduce tensions, such as building and installing partitions in rental flats, resulting in 1,230 partitioned units, and is piloting an Operator-Run model where singles can apply individually without finding a flatmate first.
The Minister of State stated that HDB is reviewing and exploring alternative typologies and models to enhance the lived experiences of singles in public rental, with plans to share more details soon.

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9 Nov 2022

Monetary Policy and Targeted Measures to Rein in Food and Accommodation Prices

The Minister of State explained that MAS has tightened monetary policy five times since October 2021 to combat high core inflation, which is expected to remain firm before easing in the second half of 2023, and will continue to use exchange rate policy to ensure medium-term price stability.
The government is addressing food and accommodation prices through a stronger Singapore dollar, diversified food supply sources, targeted assistance for vulnerable groups, and increased housing subsidies and supply to maintain affordability.
Officials emphasized that monetary policy affects inflation with a lag and that tripartite partnerships, industry transformation, and productivity enhancements are crucial to mitigating inflation's impact on wages and employment without adversely affecting unemployment.
MAS clarified its unique approach of using the exchange rate as the sole monetary policy target, with interest rates largely determined by global markets, and responded to queries on money supply and reserves by deferring detailed answers to separate parliamentary questions.

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9 Nov 2022

Complaints of Noise and Smell from Live Chickens in HDB and Private Residential Estates

From 2017 to 2021, agencies and Town Councils received about 2,400 complaints about chickens in HDB estates and 1,700 in private residential estates.
HDB flats prohibit chicken rearing under the Memorandum of Lease for public health reasons, while private estates allow up to 10 chickens; complaints are first addressed through community mediation rather than fines.
NParks and HDB regularly review pet ownership policies, balancing public health and animal welfare with community needs, including managing cases like community roosters through local collaboration.

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9 Nov 2022

Inspections to Proactively Identify Rental Flats that Require Repairs or Maintenance

HDB conducts annual proactive inspections of occupied rental flats to identify repair and maintenance needs, a practice suspended during COVID-19 safe management measures and now being resumed with a revised, priority-based approach.
Tenants can report issues directly to HDB, which addresses them promptly, with repair costs almost fully covered by HDB, and rental flats also benefit from upgrading and enhancement programmes like Lift Upgrading and Project LIFE.
While HDB confirms annual proactive inspections occur, a member noted discrepancies in practice, with some preventive maintenance perceived as lacking, possibly due to resource constraints or the need to outsource duties.
The minister clarified that tenants are responsible for internal items like gates and peeling paint, but HDB collaborates with community organizations to support vulnerable tenants, such as the elderly, in exceptional cases.

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8 Nov 2022

Requests to Waive Non-citizen Quota for Renting Out HDB Flats

Ms He Ting Ru requested statistics over the last five years on the number of requests to waive the non-citizen quota for renting out HDB flats, how many were granted, and which town had the highest number of requests.
Minister Desmond Lee explained that the non-citizen quota for renting out flats aims to prevent foreigner enclaves and maintain the Singaporean character of HDB heartlands.
Over the last five years, HDB received an average of about 500 appeals annually from across all towns, with around one in five being granted.

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8 Nov 2022

Rent Increase Affecting HDB Public Rental Scheme Households

In 2021, 6% of HDB rental households renewing their tenancy faced rent increases, down from 15% in the preceding five years (2016-2020), with most increases being $200 or less and ranging from $5 to about $1,000.
Rents are reviewed only at tenancy renewal every two to three years, based on a tiered structure tied to household income thresholds, with increases applied only when incomes cross specific levels and considered alongside household size to ensure affordability.
Between 2012 and 2021, 38 rental households that had moved to home ownership reverted to public rental after an average of six years, out of 7,500 households that transitioned to home ownership.

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8 Nov 2022

Complaints Received on Residential Rental Discrimination by Age or Race

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Ministry for National Development about data collection on residential rental discrimination complaints by age or race, the annual numbers for the last five years, and available recourse avenues for Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans.
Minister Desmond Lee stated that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not collect such data as residential rentals are private agreements between landlords and tenants, and HDB is not a party to these agreements.
Members of the public can lodge complaints with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) for discriminatory advertisements by property agents, who must adhere to guidelines on multiracial and multicultural sensitivity.
Non-compliant property agents may face warnings, disciplinary action, financial penalties, suspension, or licence revocation, and disputes between landlords and tenants can be resolved through legal recourse with solicitors.

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8 Nov 2022

Average Waiting Time for Rental Flats under Public Rental Scheme by Ethnic Group

The average waiting time for public rental flats in 2023 is around seven months for Chinese applicants, eight months for Malays, and seven months for Indian/Others, similar to 2012 figures of six, eight, and seven months respectively.
Currently, about 51,900 public rental tenants comprise 51% Chinese, 35% Malays, and 14% Indian/Others, compared to 61%, 27%, and 13% among 47,900 tenants in 2012.
Approximately 70% of HDB's public rental blocks have reached the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) block limit for at least one ethnic group, up from about 60% in 2012, with administrative flexibility applied to avoid prolonging waiting times for low-income households.

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8 Nov 2022

HDB Flats Purchased in Last Five Years by Those Previously Residing in Private Properties

From 2017 to 2021, buyers who previously lived in private properties accounted for 7% to 11% of HDB resale flat purchases each year.
The median resale prices for these transactions were provided for each year, with the median cash-over-valuation paid ranging from $14,800 to $30,000.
The proportion of such buyers doubled in 2021 and the first three quarters of 2022 compared to 2019 and 2020.

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8 Nov 2022

Help for Senior Citizens to Apply for BTO Flats

Senior citizens aged 55 and above can apply for 2-room Flexi flats with short leases, regardless of past housing subsidies, with at least 40% of such flats in BTO projects reserved for them.
In 2022, about 5,200 seniors (80% of applicants) had previously received housing subsidies, and 2,000 (30%) were unsuccessful, often due to high demand in Sale of Balance Flats exercises.
Schemes like the Senior Priority Scheme, Multi-Generation Priority Scheme, and Community Care Apartments support seniors in living near family or aging in place.
Financial assistance includes the Silver Housing Bonus of up to $30,000 and deferred downpayments, alongside public outreach programs to inform seniors of available options.
Seniors needing further help are encouraged to approach HDB for personalized assistance.

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8 Nov 2022

Proportion of HDB Resale and BTO Flat Transactions by Singaporeans and PRs from 2010

From 2011 to 2021, 84–90% of BTO flats were booked by households where all applicants were Singapore Citizens, with the remainder involving at least one Permanent Resident.
For resale flats, 65–83% were bought by households where all applicants were Singapore Citizens, with the share of transactions involving at least one Permanent Resident falling from 27% in 2011 to 7% in 2021.
The decline in Permanent Resident households buying resale flats is attributed to a 2013 rule requiring them to wait three years after obtaining PR status before purchase.
BTO flats require at least one Singapore Citizen applicant and can include co-applicants who are Citizens or Permanent Residents, while resale flats allow Permanent Resident households to buy after three years but without housing grants.
Public housing in Singapore primarily serves Singaporeans, with policies ensuring subsidized BTO flats are mainly accessible to Citizen households.

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8 Nov 2022

Mandating Use of Fire-rated Glass for Windows of High-rise Buildings and HDB Flats

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether HDB should use or mandate fire-rated glass for windows of high-rise buildings and HDB flats to prevent glass shatter during fires.
The Fire Code currently requires fire-rated glass only for building features that compartmentalise spaces, such as doors and interior partitions, not for windows.
The Ministry explained that windows are not considered a fire spread risk, and SCDF records show no injuries from glass shatter during fires, as incident sites are cordoned off.
Therefore, the government does not plan to mandate fire-rated glass for windows in high-rise buildings or HDB flats.

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