But the core mission of the HDB remains unchanged – that of providing Singaporeans with affordable quality homes and building cohesive communities.

Speaking at the International Housing Conference in Singapore, Mr Mah noted the HDB will face increasing challenges due to shifting demographics. These include an aging population which may require further innovations in housing policies or building design.

These include an aging population, which may require further innovations in housing policies or building design.

In addition, with more new Singapore citizens, greater integration efforts will be required.

Mr Mah said rapid globalisation and affluence may also prompt other lifestyle changes and with it, increased expectations of what public housing can provide.

Singapore is also facing the steadily ageing profile of HDB flats and towns. So there will be an urgent need to upgrade, redevelop and rejuvenate older estates.

Mr Mah said HDB must meet these challenges and continue achieving environmental, economic and social sustainability. This will contribute to Singapore’s overall quest to provide a green and healthy living environment, through careful long-term planning.

In the past half century, HDB achieved much for Singapore and garnered significant international recognition, including the UN Public Service Award.

And he urged HDB to continue its relentless pursuit of sustainable public housing for the next 50 years and beyond.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 27 Jan 2010

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According to latest official figures, there has also been little upward movement in the private property rental market.

Data for the HDB resale and rental markets based on transactions in Q2 saw HDB’s Resale Price Index (RPI) up 4.5 per cent, compared to the 3.7 per cent increase for the previous quarter.

Reflective of the interest in public housing was the rise in resale transactions, from about 6,360 cases in the first quarter to about 7,760 cases in the second quarter, an increase by about 22 per cent.

Meanwhile, subletting transactions in HDB flats increased by about 15 per cent to about 4,120 cases in the second quarter from about 3,580 cases in the first quarter.

In contrast, the private property market was a little more subdued, with home prices increasing 0.2 per cent, the third straight quarter of slower growth, signalling a definite slowing of the four-year housing boom.

Prices for non-landed properties saw a modest 0.1 per cent rise compared with 3.7 per cent in the previous quarter as prices for condominium and apartments in districts 9, 10, 11, downtown district and Sentosa fell 0.1 per cent compared to similar properties in areas outside of the region which rose between 0.7 and 0.9 per cent.

As for landed property, prices rose 0.6 per cent compared with 3.9 per cent in the previous quarter.

Indicative of the cooling in the property market are the 43,473 new units still unsold from a total supply of 67,569 uncompleted units from private housing projects.

This number includes more than 12,000 which developers have held back from launch and another 28,282 which are pending approval.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 25 Jul 2008

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The project, comprising 50 units of three-room and 332 units of four-room flats, is located near the Woodlands Regional Centre and is served by the Woodlands MRT station and bus interchange.

It is the HDB’s first project in the area in recent years. Those interested have until: June 23 to submit their applications.

The launch of the latest BTO project came even as the construction industry continues to grapple with rising costs.

:Speaking at a separate event yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said that the HDB is containing construction costs as much as it could, such as by simplifying some of the projects, or by combining them to enjoy greater economies of scale.

It is also using more economical materials and reducing the construction pressure by withholding some projects so that it does not add to the demand for construction, said Mr Mah during a visit to the HDB headquarters at Toa Payoh yesterday to congratulate its staff for winning the United Nations Public Service Award.

But Mr Mah assured Singaporeans that HDB flats would continue to be sold at discounted prices while the Main and Interim Upgrading Programmes will continue, reported Channel NewsAsia.

According to the HDB, the UN award is in recognition of the Home Ownership Programme, which has successfully provided over 80 per cent of Singaporeans with affordable quality flats, with 95 per cent of them owning these homes.

In his speech, Mr Mah noted that the HDB will continue to face challenges as it strives to meet the housing needs of a growing population with different needs and aspirations.

“As we welcome a larger and more diverse population into our fold, the challenge for HDB is to find innovative ways to accommodate everyone in a comfortable way, without compromising our living environment and social cohesion.

“We will need to ensure that public housing can help achieve the twin objectives of meeting the housing needs of the majority of the population, as well as providing a social safety net for lower-income Singaporeans,” Mr Mah said.

And with the growing ageing population, the HDB “will need to focus on meeting the housing needs of the more vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and the lower-income, so that they can level up with the rest of the population,” he added. -AGENCIES

Source : Today – 11 Jun 2008

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