It is time to raise the income ceiling for first-time buyers of subsidised public housing, says MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher De Souza. This, he feels, will also help ensure a more equitable distribution of the Budget surplus. Speaking during the Budget debate, Mr De Souza pointed out that it has been 14 years since the HDB last increased the monthly income ceiling for buyers of new flats,...
HDB News
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the postponement of up to S$3 billion worth of public construction projects will not affect housing estate upgrading programmes. As for new flats offered in mature estates being many times oversubscribed, Mr Mah said the HDB is already ramping up its building programme. At a community event on Sunday, the minister also gave the assurance that his ministry...
There were just 278 flats offered but the Housing and Development Board received about 9,900 applications. This was the number recorded at the close of the application phase on Monday for the bi-monthly sale of four-room and bigger flats. HDB said it received such an overwhelming response because the flats offered are in established HDB towns which are popular. But the supply of new flats is tight as...
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is reviewing the eligibility criteria for the Public Rental Scheme. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said this is to ensure that the heavily subsidised rental flats are targeted at those who are genuinely poor and without other housing options. More details on the review will be announced when ready. Mr Mah disclosed this in a written answer to a question...
A total of 590 blocks in 58 sites have been selected for the next batch of HDB upgrading programmes. The exact list has not been disclosed but HDB said these blocks would benefit from programmes such as the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). HDB said the number of HIP projects has been increased from two to four due to strong...
Try for flats in newer towns for a higher chance of success Letter from Ignatius Lourdesamy Acting Deputy Director (Marketing and Projects) for Director (Estate Administration and Property) Housing and Development Board (HDB) I REFER to the letter from Lim Jie Yi, “A young S’porean’s housing dilemma” (Jan 5). Ms Lim applied for a 4-room flat under HDB’s Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise for Telok...
HDB resale prices have gone up by a better-than-expected 17.5 per cent in 2007, the fastest rate since prices soared by 25 per cent in 1996, latest official figures by the Housing Development Board (HDB) showed. Most homes in Singapore have appreciated to the highest levels since 1996. The price of a three-room HDB flat was an average of S$149,000 in the last quarter while a five-room flat in Marine...
HDB ensures affordability of flats for different groups Letter from LEONG CHOK KEH Deputy Director (Policy and Property) for Director (Estate Administration and Property) Housing and Development Board I REFER to the letter from Chan Han Jun, “A costly commitment” (Jan 8). The Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) was launched in 2005 to complement HDB’s sales scheme. The objective was to offer HDB...
The makeover of their homes is welcomed, but would the weight on the wallets of the low-income be too much? Member of Parliament (MP) Cynthia Phua of Aljunied GRC raised this concern yesterday as Parliament debated proposals to usher in new upgrading programmes for public housing. The objective - repair works on ceiling leaks, for example, to spruce up ageing homes - was not in question. Even Opposition...
MPs debate whether to up $8,000 ceiling for DBSS buyers THEY are public housing flats designed, built and marketed by private developers, costing as much as $700,000 - which begs the question: Should not the $8,000 income ceiling for prospective buyers be raised? Taking up the issue of Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) flats in Parliament yesterday, Nominated Member of Parliament...