Housing & estates — Topics

11 Feb 2019

Proposal for Developers, Building Owners and HDB to Provide Enclosed Smoking Rooms

Gan Thiam Poh proposed mandating enclosed smoking rooms in buildings and HDB precincts to contain smoke and protect non-smokers, citing examples from airports and Japan.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M rejected the proposal, explaining that such facilities cannot fully prevent second-hand smoke exposure and may encourage smoking among youths and create congestion.
The Ministry will not mandate smoking rooms and instead continues to extend smoking prohibitions to more public areas in housing estates, with enforcement by the National Environment Agency.
The government encourages smokers to comply with prohibitions and quit the habit for their health and the community’s benefit.

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15 Jan 2019

Breakdown of Successful Single Applicants for 2-Room Flexi Flats by Gender and Income Bracket

Gan Thiam Poh asked for a breakdown by gender and income bracket of singles who successfully applied for 2-room flexi flats since their launch.
Lawrence Wong stated that from November 2015 to December 2018, 18,572 singles applied and were invited to select a 2-room flexi flat under BTO and SBF exercises.
The breakdown by gender and income is provided in Table 1, with income categories of $1,000 and less, and between $1,001 and $6,000 in multiples of $1,000.

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15 Jan 2019

BTO Flats Sold to Second-timer Buyers in Past Four Years

Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development about the number of BTO flats sold to second-timer buyers in the past four years and their key collection schedule over the next three years.
Lawrence Wong responded that approximately 13,000 second-timers booked BTO flats from January 2015 to December 2018.
He stated that about 2,600 second-timer buyers will collect keys in 2019, another 2,600 in 2020, and 3,400 in 2021.
The figures cover the period from 2015 to 2018 and project key collections for the next three years.
The response provides specific numbers for both past sales and future key collections.

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15 Jan 2019

Percentage of Land Cost in Actual Prices of BTO Flats Constructed in 2016 and 2017

The Minister for National Development stated that for BTO flats built in 2016 and 2017, land cost accounted for about 60% of the total development cost across all flat types.
This percentage was consistent for 3-room, 4-room, and 5-room flats, though it can vary by project due to specific site, design, and market conditions.
The Minister clarified that HDB treats land purchases like any other developer, with land sales benchmarked by the Chief Valuer and proceeds going to past Reserves.
The overall cost of building HDB flats is not fully covered by sale prices to keep public housing affordable, resulting in an average annual deficit of about $1.14 billion for HDB’s Home Ownership Programme from FY2015 to FY2017.

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15 Jan 2019

HDB Flat Owners Who Gave Up their New BTO Flats in 2018

In 2018, about 900 HDB flat buyers cancelled their BTO bookings, with the highest proportion being 4-room flats (38%), followed by 2-room flexi (25%), 5-room (22%), and 3-room (15%); cancellations were mainly due to changes in housing plans or financial circumstances.
Buyers who cancel before signing the Agreement for Lease forfeit a booking fee ($500–$2,000), while those who cancel after signing lose 5% of the flat price and must wait a year before applying for another subsidised flat; HDB may waive forfeiture on a case-by-case basis for valid reasons.
The Minister noted no significant spike in cancellations compared to past years, and HDB provides flexibility, such as extending time to sell existing flats or waiving penalties for genuine difficulties like financial hardship or ethnic integration policy challenges.
HDB puts cancelled flats back into the Sale of Balance Flats exercise, and the forfeiture mechanism aims to ensure buyers commit seriously to their purchase and avoid depriving others of urgent flat needs.
In cases of joint applicants where one passes away or eligibility conditions are not met, HDB facilitates the transaction if possible or considers waiving forfeiture.

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14 Jan 2019

Measures Taken to Strengthen Institution of Marriage among Young Couples

The Ministry supports young couples' marriage aspirations by funding events and campaigns like Spark Connections to help singles meet in natural social settings through interest-based activities and accredited agencies.
HDB has increased the supply of Build-To-Order flats for first-timer families, introduced shorter waiting times for some units, enhanced housing grants, and allowed income assessment deferral for students or those serving National Service.
Mandatory marriage preparation programmes are required for couples where either party is a minor, and tailored support is provided for various couples, along with optional post-marriage and enrichment programmes to strengthen marriages.

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14 Jan 2019

Percentages of Students Living in HDB Flats under Public Rental Scheme

Louis Ng Kok Kwang requested the Minister for Education to provide the percentages of students living in HDB flats under the Public Rental Scheme who entered the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express streams over the past five years.
Ong Ye Kung noted that socio-economic status correlates with academic performance, leading to higher representation of public rental scheme students in Normal streams compared to Express streams.
The Ministry of Education is implementing measures like the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) to support students from lower-income families.

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14 Jan 2019

Disposal of Private Property within Six Months of Effective Date of Purchase of Non-subsidised or Resale Flat

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for National Development for statistics on the disposal of private property within six months of buying a non-subsidised or resale HDB flat, including the number of properties disposed of, appeals received, and appeals approved with their basis.
Minister Lawrence Wong stated that since the policy began in August 2010, slightly over 5,000 households have disposed of private properties when purchasing resale flats, and in the last three years, about 1,200 households appealed to retain them.
HDB approved about 300 of these appeals by considering each case’s specific facts, such as the owner's share in the private property and reasons the property cannot be recovered for personal use.
The policy reinforces that HDB flats are for owner-occupation, prohibiting buyers of resale flats from retaining ownership of local or overseas private properties.
The Minister emphasized that each appeal is assessed individually to balance the policy's intent with the homeowners' circumstances.

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14 Jan 2019

HDB Lessees Currently Servicing HDB Loans, Fixed-rate Bank Loans and Floating Rate Bank Loans

The Minister provided statistics on HDB flat owners servicing mortgages, including the number of borrowers by flat size for HDB loans and loans from financial institutions, and noted that 65% of borrowers took HDB loans while 35% took loans from banks, with most now on fixed-rate packages to reduce interest rate vulnerability.
Average monthly instalments for HDB loans were listed by flat size, along with the proportion of households paying fully via CPF, fully in cash, or using a combination, highlighting that concessionary HDB loans offer interest rate stability.
The Minister outlined government measures to manage interest rate risks, such as mortgage servicing ratio caps, loan fact sheets, and stress tests, which indicate that most HDB owners’ mortgage payments are expected to remain manageable under severe stress scenarios.

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14 Jan 2019

BCA Design and Installation Requirements for Manhole Covers of Utility Services in New HDB Estates

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked about BCA design and installation requirements for manhole covers in new HDB estates and whether noise reduction is considered for covers on vehicular driveways with interlocking pavers.
Lawrence Wong explained that manhole covers in HDB precincts follow guidelines from PUB and IMDA, while those on public roads are built by Utility Providers under LTA guidelines, ensuring structural soundness and minimal noise.
HDB receives few noise complaints, which are typically due to poor fit and are addressed by cleaning, replacing warped covers, or grinding for better alignment, with Town Councils involved in rectification.

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14 Jan 2019

Offer of Lift Upgrading Programme for Third Time to Blocks Unsuccessful at Polls Twice

Zainal Sapari asked if HDB could offer the Lift Upgrading Programme for a third time to blocks that failed the first two polls, citing new residents.
Lawrence Wong explained the LUP is for HDB blocks without direct lift access within cost caps, and a second poll is allowed only if circumstances change and there is at least 75% resident support.
A third poll is generally not offered to respect the final decision and avoid negative feedback, but it may be considered case-by-case with strong reasons and at least 75% resident support.

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14 Jan 2019

LUP, HIP and EASE Programmes for HDB Rental Blocks in Boon Lay

Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked whether HDB rental blocks in Boon Lay, including those under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme, can receive the LUP, HIP, and EASE programmes.
Lawrence Wong explained that rental blocks are considered for HIP and LUP similarly to home ownership flats, with tenants benefiting free of charge, and detailed that three rental blocks in Boon Lay had upgrades by 2010 and lifts serving all floors.
He noted that two PPHS blocks in Boon Lay had improvements in 2013 but lifts were not upgraded due to their interim use, though HDB will study upgrading options considering long-term plans.
The EASE programme is available free of charge to seniors in public rental flats for safety and comfort enhancements.
All upgrading programmes, including those specific to rental flats, are provided to rental tenants without charge.

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14 Jan 2019

Mandating Inspection of Windows in HDB Flats More Than 30 Years Old

Ms Joan Pereira proposed mandating inspections for windows in HDB flats older than 30 years by BCA-certified staff and empowering BCA-registered contractors to replace non-compliant windows.
The Ministry of National Development stated that current regulations already require windows to be designed and installed by Approved Window Contractors (AWCs) and that BCA directs owners of non-compliant windows to engage AWCs for rectifications.
BCA collaborates with Town Councils and grassroots organizations to raise awareness about window safety, reminding owners to maintain windows through three simple steps and conducting biannual outreach campaigns.

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14 Jan 2019

Extent of Homelessness Problem in Last Three Years

The Ministry reported that between 2015 and 2017, an average of 385 homelessness cases were assisted annually through transitional shelters and welfare homes, with social workers addressing underlying issues like employment and family conflict.
Homelessness is often linked to financial difficulties, family disputes, or disputes with co-tenants, and the government provides housing options like public rental flats and interim rental housing, alongside holistic support from multiple agencies.
The Ministry is strengthening interagency coordination with HDB and community groups to provide upstream support and enhance shelter models, while encouraging the public to report homelessness cases to relevant hotlines or offices for assistance.

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14 Jan 2019

Waiving Resale Levy for Households Affected by SERS when They Buy Replacement Flat

Ms Tin Pei Ling proposed waiving the resale levy for households affected by the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) when they purchase a replacement flat.
Lawrence Wong clarified that SERS households buying a new replacement flat from HDB do not pay a resale levy, as it is already waived under the scheme.
The resale levy applies only to SERS households who previously sold a subsidized flat elsewhere and is capped at $30,000 as a concession.
SERS households can choose an ex-gratia payment instead of a replacement flat and buy a resale flat on the open market without paying a resale levy.
The debate focused on the existing concessions and options available to SERS-affected households regarding resale levies.

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14 Jan 2019

Incidents of Fires in HDB Flats in Last Three Years

Over the past three years, there have been approximately 650 fire incidents reported annually in HDB flats.
The primary causes of these fires are unattended cooking and electrical issues.
Fires are also attributed to the use of naked flames, such as candles.

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14 Jan 2019

Proposal to Allow Grandparents and Grandchildren to Be Considered as Family Nucleus under Public Rental Scheme

Joan Pereira asked if grandparents and grandchildren could be considered a family nucleus under the HDB Public Rental Scheme.
The Minister for National Development stated that HDB assesses rental requests on a needs basis.
HDB will assist households not meeting eligibility criteria, like grandparents with grandchildren, if they cannot buy a flat and have no other housing options or family support.

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14 Jan 2019

Demographic and Socio-economic Profile of HDB Applicants in Last Two Years

In the last two years, an average of about 7,300 households requested HDB rental flats annually, with 90% having a household income of $1,500 or less.
Around 70% of applicants applied alone or as a pair, and about 40% were divorced or widowed, with a similar proportion being married.
Close to half of the households in public rental had previously owned an HDB flat, and common reasons for needing rental housing included divorce, job loss, or medical issues.
Unsuccessful applications were often due to having sufficient budget to buy a flat, not meeting citizenship requirements, or having family support for alternative accommodation.
When family support is unavailable, HDB refers applicants to a Family Service Centre for mediation, and may offer interim or public rental flats if mediation fails and buying a flat is unaffordable.

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20 Nov 2018

Percentage of Students Living in HDB Flats under Public Rental Scheme

Louis Ng asked the Ministry of Education for the percentage of students living in HDB rental flats and the average and median household income of students entering different secondary streams over the past five years.
Ong Ye Kung responded that approximately 2% to 3% of students lived in HDB rental flats in the last five years.
The Ministry of Education does not collect data on the household income of students.

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20 Nov 2018

Successful First-timer Applicants Receiving CPF Housing Grants in Last Three Years

From July 2015 to June 2018, about 47,700 first-timer households received CPF housing grants for their flat purchase, with grants tiered by income to provide more assistance to lower-income households.
First-timer households can receive up to $80,000 in grants for new HDB flats (Special CPF Housing Grant and Additional CPF Housing Grant) and up to $120,000 for resale flats (including Proximity Housing Grant).
After accounting for housing grants, nearly 80% of first-timer households paid $400,000 or less for their HDB flat, whether purchased directly from HDB or from the resale market.

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