HDB correspondence on public newsletters

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
HDB rules change
3 years before you can sell resale flats

By Joyce Teo
Related Link
WHAT'S CHANGING
BUYERS of non-subsidised HDB resale flats must now occupy their flats for at least three years before they can sell, under new rules unveiled yesterday.

This is up from 2-1/2 years for buyers with HDB loans and one year for buyers with bank loans or no loan.

The move, effective yesterday, is seen as a government effort to curb speculative buying and selling of public housing.

Home hunters have expressed dismay in recent months that speculators may be pushing up HDB resale flat prices.

Property consultants said the move is set to nip speculation in the bud but is not likely to result in lower flat prices.

The move comes after an HDB study found that a growing number of flat owners were selling flats within three years.

In late January, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan flagged a review by HDB of its rules, with a view to stamping out possible speculation.

In Parliament yesterday, Mr Mah said said more flat owners had been selling flats as soon as the minimum period was up, although the numbers were not large.

He added: 'However, if the trend continues, buyers who genuinely need housing could be crowded out.'

He was responding to MP Ang Mong Seng's request for a review of the one-year minimum period applying to those with bank loans or no loan.

'HDB flats are provided primarily for owner-occupation and not speculative profit or rental return,' said Mr Mah.

HDB said in a statement that the change meant demand would more accurately reflect interest from buyers who wish to occupy flats.

Different rules apply to subsidised buyers who receive HDB grants.

Home hunter Sofian Buang, 33, a loading officer, said: 'My biggest concern is getting a roof for my family, now that I have a daughter. I am looking for a resale flat to settle in, not to sell or to rent out.'

ERA Asia-Pacific associate director Eugene Lim said the change would remove buyers who wanted to flip HDB flats after a year. 'With a smaller group chasing after HDB resale flats, price increases will slow down,' he said.

Demand for resale flats outweighs supply so prices will still rise, but perhaps at a slower pace, said C&H Realty managing director Albert Lu.

Mr Steven Tan, executive director of OrangeTee's residential division, said the change would cut speculation but that the Government should look at private property owners buying HDB flats to rent out right away.

If demand is growing and fewer people choose to sell because they want to lease their flats out, prices will rise, he said.

Mr Mah said that of the 682,000 flats that are eligible for subletting, only 3 per cent are sublet, suggesting that most flat owners are buying their flats for occupation, and not rental.

Amid concerns of runaway HDB prices, other MPs yesterday raised questions, including a possible ban on some buyers.

'There is a populist suggestion that we should ban private property owners from buying HDB flats,' said Mr Mah. But if the Government did so, what about HDB owners buying private property, he said.

Most resale flat buyers are citizens who do not own any private property, he said, adding that there was no evidence that specific buyer groups, like PRs and private property owners, were driving up prices.

He said buyers who did not want to pay very high prices could walk away.

Some other key changes unveiled yesterday include allowing upgraders and those who downsize to apply for a second concessionary HDB loan. This could push up resale activity for smaller flats in the resale market, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.

The HDB study found that last year, 9 per cent or nearly one in 10 resale flats sold had been owned for under three years. Between 2005 and 2007, the figure was just 6 per cent of sales.

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
New limits on sale of flats to PRs
By Jessica Cheam

QUOTA AND SUBSIDY
SINGAPORE'S policymakers have imposed limits on the number of public flats in each block and neighbourhood that can be sold to permanent residents (PRs) to prevent enclaves of foreigners developing in the heartlands.

The new quotas announced yesterday will be set at 5 per cent of flats for Housing Board (HDB) neighbourhoods and 8 per cent for blocks.

Malaysian PRs are excluded from the curbs because of their close historical and cultural ties to Singapore.

The Government has also sharpened the differentiation in housing benefits enjoyed by citizens and PRs.

Under existing rules, all Singaporean couples and couples where a citizen is married to a PR can buy new flats at subsidised prices or apply for housing grants for resale flats.

With immediate effect, a citizen-PR couple will have to pay a $10,000 premium for new flats launched by the HDB.

Citizenship incentive

They will also get $10,000 less in housing grants if they buy a resale home.

But the amount will be restored if the PR family member becomes a citizen or the couple has a child who is a citizen.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who unveiled the measures yesterday, told Parliament that the changes were to 'provide an incentive for PRs to take up citizenship... and also reinforce the principle that Singaporeans are our priority'.

Several MPs also raised concerns yesterday about the presence of foreigners in HDB estates.

West Coast GRC MP Cedric Foo noted that property agents have already observed trends that show PRs from Myanmar favouring Jurong West while Filipino PRs are buying at Bukit Panjang.

Mr Mah said the new quota policy will contribute to integrating locals and migrants: 'Even though PR enclaves are not a problem today, we should put precautionary measures in place early. Otherwise, it might be difficult to unravel problems later.'

PRs comprise about 14 per cent of the population living in HDB flats, according to 2009 figures.

PR families own only 5 per cent of HDB flats; however, there are western and northern towns where this proportion is slightly higher than the 5 per cent average, said Mr Mah.

The HDB said yesterday that 13 out of 162 neighbourhoods islandwide, in towns such as Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok, Jurong West and Sengkang, are likely to be affected by the new quota.

The new limits for PRs will apply in addition to the existing Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP), which sets ratios for ethnic groups to ensure a balanced mix in housing estates.

In line with demographic shifts, Mr Mah said the HDB will raise the limit for the category of 'Indian and Others' under the EIP from the current 10 and 13 per cent for neighbourhood and blocks, to 12 and 15 per cent respectively.

The Government's move comes amid rising anxiety among local residents about the impact that PRs have on the public housing market and social environment.

This was reflected in comments made by MPs yesterday in the Budget debate.

Mr Mah explained that 'there is no evidence that specific buyer groups, like PRs and private property owners, are driving up prices'.

As a proportion of buyers, the number of such buyers remains small, he said.

Mr Colin Tan, director of property consultancy Chesterton International, said that PRs have a slight impact but are not the real reason why HDB resale flat prices are rising.

'This is due to shortage in supply amid higher-than-expected demand,' he said.

The impact of the new quota could see demand for HDB flats spread more evenly throughout estates and so moderate price rises, he added.

Residents told The Straits Times that they had mixed reactions to the move.

Mr Khoo Sze Wee, 25, of Jurong West said 'the PR's loss in ability to get housing will definitely be our gain. But they shouldn't be entirely denied housing opportunities'.

PR Lim Bee Lian, 49, felt the new move would restrict housing choices: 'PRs who have the ability to buy their own flats should be allowed to buy.'

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
Second HDB loans more widely available
By Esther Teo

NEW RULES FOR DOWNGRADERS
SECOND concessionary loans from the Housing Development Board (HDB) - once reserved for the most part for upgraders - will be far more widely available from today.

Homebuyers will also be made to dip into their own pockets first before reaching for a loan, with HDB reducing the amount of the second concessionary loans it grants.

Under changes announced yesterday, buyers who move down to smaller flats or to the same type of flat will find it much easier to get the loan.

In the past, second concessionary loans were granted to downgraders only on a case-by-case basis.

The more liberal policy announced by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday will help Singaporeans right-size to a home they can sustain over the long-term, to encourage financial prudence.

Mr Mah added that restricting the loan for upgrading might drive households to upgrade even if it were not a prudent move.

'With greater economic volatility, the flexibility to right-size will be more important... But I hope residents will take that second loan carefully and cautiously,' he said.

HDB buyers who have sold private properties will remain ineligible for a second concessionary loan.

Many Members of Parliament have been calling for this change for some years.

The HDB said that the change will benefit families which need to right-size to smaller flats but which lack sufficient proceeds from the sale of their existing flats.

It will also be less generous with the way second concessionary loan amounts are awarded.

The loan will be reduced by a homebuyer's full CPF balance and part of the cash proceeds from the sale of the first flat in an effort to further ensure financial prudence.

But the household can retain at least half of the cash proceeds, or $25,000 in cash, whichever is greater.

The right-sizing of loan amounts will ensure that flat buyers do not take a larger than necessary concessionary loan, reducing the likelihood of subsequent mortgage arrears, the HDB said.

'(These changes) will help homebuyers manage their finances for their flat purchase upstream, and avoid financial difficulties downstream,' Mr Mah added.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said the changes would allow homeowners to unlock the capital appreciation of their homes over the past three years and to reorganise their finances.

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
HDB flats: Facts & Myths



NATIONAL Development Minister Mah Bow Tan spent some time in Parliament yesterday addressing popular misconceptions about Singapore's public housing market.

MYTH: There are not enough HDB flats to meet demand.

HIS RESPONSE:

The HDB released 13,500 new flats last year and will release another 12,000 or more this year. This is more than the total number of flats in Clementi or Jurong East (about 23,000 flats each).
The massive oversubscription rates for new flats are misleading. That is because half the number of flat applicants choose not to book a flat when invited to do so. Many say this is because they could not get a flat of their choice, yet in recent selection exercises, one-third rejected flats on the first day of selection, when all the flats were available.
Some first-time buyers have complained that they have tried repeatedly to get a flat to no avail. But when the HDB reviewed 477 such cases in the last six months, it found only 29 appeals (6 per cent) were genuine.
CASE STUDY: Mr C complained about his lack of success in getting a flat. The HDB's checks found that he had submitted four applications, three of which were in highly popular mature estates. In six months, he consecutively rejected three offers of flats: one offer of 121 flats in Punggol/Sengkang because he had been 'targeting a unit in Buangkok'; another offer of 143 flats in Punggol because 'the units left are facing the mosque'; and a third offer of 14 flats in Serangoon, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Tampines and Woodlands because these were not his 'choice' flats.

MYTH: HDB flats are unaffordable.

HIS RESPONSE:

On top of the CPF Housing Grant of $30,000 or $40,000, there is an Additional Housing Grant (AHG) for lower-income families of up to $40,000. As of Jan 31, the Government disbursed more than $330 million in AHG to more than 20,000 families.
The median house price is 5.8 times the median household income in Singapore. In comparison, the ratio is 7.1 in London and 19.8 in Hong Kong.
The average mortgage payment for new flats in non-mature estates sold in 2009 was 22 per cent of monthly household income. This is well below the affordability benchmark of 30 per cent to 35 per cent.
Four out of five Singaporean new flat buyers service their housing loans from CPF savings, without any cash payment.
CASE STUDY: Mr and Mrs S, with a $4,500 monthly income, bought a four-room flat in Punggol for $297,900. They received $10,000 in grants and took a concessionary loan of $268,100 (90 per cent of the price) from the HDB. The couple's monthly instalment is $1,073, or 24 per cent of their income. They can use $1,035 from the CPF to service the mortgage and end up paying only $38 monthly in cash.

MYTH: PRs push up prices.

HIS RESPONSE:

The median cash-over-valuation (COV) paid by permanent residents have been the same as the median COV nationwide for the last two quarters.
Cases of PRs paying high COV are the exception. Of 37,205 resale transactions in 2009, 58 cases had COV exceeding $70,000. Of this, only eight (14 per cent) involved PRs.

MYTH: Private property owners push up prices.

HIS RESPONSE:

Their number is not large enough to push up prices. Of the 58 resale transactions last year with COV exceeding $70,000, only 11 cases (19 per cent) involved private property owners.

MYTH: Subletting of HDB flats is rampant.

HIS RESPONSE:

Of the 682,000 flats that have fulfilled current Minimum Occupation Period requirements, only 3 per cent are sublet. This suggests most flat owners are buying their flats for occupation, and not rental.

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
Lease Buyback expanded

FOR THE ELDERLY
THE Lease Buyback Scheme will be expanded to include an additional 3,800 households of elderly folk.

It will now include people who have owned four-room or bigger flats. Previously, the scheme was restricted to those who own three-room or smaller units.

The HDB said in a statement yesterday that although these homeowners would have received substantial proceeds from the sale of their earlier flats, some could still be in need of help. They include those who may have downsized many years ago.

The second group added into the scheme are households with an outstanding mortgage exceeding $5,000 but who would be able to buy an immediate annuity under CPF Life for at least $60,000 with the HDB payout. Previously, the household had to have less than $5,000 outstanding on a home loan.

The changes, which were outlined in Parliament yesterday, kick in on April 1.

They will make 3,800 more elderly households living in three-room or smaller flats eligible for the scheme, said HDB.

This will bring the total number of eligible households to 34,800 - which is 82 per cent of elderly households in three-room and smaller flats.

The Lease Buyback Scheme started in March last year and helps the elderly sell their HDB flats to the Government for cash. HDB buys back the tail-end of a flat lease at market valuation, leaving a 30-year lease for the household.

For example, if a flat has 70 years left on the lease, HDB buys 40 years of the lease from the owner at market rate with the cash going into a CPF Life annuity in the owner's name. He receives a monthly income stream for life.

To be eligible, a home owner must be 62 or over, own a three-room or smaller flat, have enjoyed only one housing subsidy and must have lived in the flat for at least five years. The household must also not have owned or currently own a private home and must not have a monthly household income exceeding $3,000.

Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Lee Bee Wah hopes to see the scheme extended to elderly households currently living in four-room flats.

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
Two next possible townships
By Dickson Li

TENGAH and Simpang might be the next townships to be developed, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said yesterday.

'Flat buyers need not fear that there are not enough flats,' Mr Mah said. 'When Punggol is fully built up, we will consider building in new areas such as Tengah and Simpang.'

The two areas - Simpang in the north-east, and Tengah in the west - were fielded as potential development sites as early as the 1990s.

Simpang town first made its appearance on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's 1991 Concept Plan, where it was mentioned as one of the next possible housing estates in the same breath as Punggol, Sembawang, and Sengkang.

Simpang town is located on the coast, bounded by the Strait of Johor to the north, Sembawang town to the west, Yishun town to the south and the mouth of the former Sungei Seletar to the east.

In the URA's Simpang development guide plan, the area was meant to be a waterfront town, featuring waterfront homes and sea sports facilities.

There were even plans for a light rail system through the area.

These grand plans were evidently shelved, however, as the area remains a mixture of forest and swamp. The Simpang training grounds were at one point in use by the Singapore Armed Forces artillery as a training ground.

There have been fewer designs on the area at Tengah - bounded by Brickland Road, the KJE, PIE and Bukit Batok Road.

Today, the forested piece of land remains an excellent source of wild durians.

However, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Development stressed that there are no concrete plans to develop the areas yet. He stressed that Mr Mah highlighted the two areas only to demonstrate the adequacy of housing space.

'(The) towns will only be developed at the appropriate time when there is sufficient demand,' said a spokesman for HDB. 'There was no prior commitment to develop both towns.'

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
Radical ideas to rein in flat prices
MND draws over 40 queries from MPs, more than any other ministry
By Fiona Chan

THE suggestions flew fast and furious yesterday as MP after MP rose in Parliament to speak on the hottest topic of the day: How to make housing more affordable and better for Singaporeans.

Proposals ranged from ideas already much-discussed - such as extending the minimum occupation period for HDB flat buyers to discourage speculation - to the new and extreme, including disallowing private property owners from buying HDB flats altogether.

A total of 15 MPs took turns to question the Ministry of National Development (MND) about its policies yesterday as Parliament kicked off the Committee of Supply debate, in which each ministry has to defend its spending plans for the coming financial year.

Another seven MPs are scheduled to query the MND on Monday when the debate resumes.

In all, the ministry, which covers housing and land-related matters, attracted more than 40 queries from MPs - more than any other ministry in the entire Committee of Supply debate.

Some of the most radical recommendations yesterday came from Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), who proposed removing the income ceiling for HDB flat buyers so that any Singaporean who wants to buy a flat can do so.

However, private property owners should be forbidden from buying any HDB flats at all, he added.

To prevent speculation in the private property market, Mr Nair also suggested that foreigners who resell their property within three years of buying it should pay a tax on any profit they make.

Buying and selling the option to purchase a property should also be discouraged by making these options non-transferable or taxing gains made from these transactions, he said.

Mr Nair and Mr Cedric Foo (West Coast GRC) also mooted the idea of building a ready supply of new flats for buyers with urgent needs, rather than allocating units only under the Build-To-Order (BTO) scheme.

Alternatively, Mr Foo added, HDB could start building BTO flats sooner: after 50 per cent of the units had been booked, rather than the current 60 to 70 per cent of bookings required.

In response, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said it is better to build flats based on real demand as demonstrated by actual bookings.

'If we built ahead of demand, we could end up with a large stock of unsold flats, as in the early 2000s,' he said.

He added that the waiting time of 'three years plus' for a BTO flat is no different from that of private developments. 'For those who cannot wait, they can buy from the resale market immediately, but at a premium for speed and choice.'

Mr Mah also addressed Mr Liang Eng Hwa's (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) query about the BTO system needing to be tweaked as many applicants drop out of the queue when they cannot get their 'choice' flats.

While the system may not be ideal, it is a fair one, he said. 'There will be some flats which are not 'ideal'... We cannot promise everybody a flat of their choice.'

MPs including Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC), Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC) and Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Tampines GRC) had also raised concerns about speculation in the HDB market and high cash-over-valuation (COV) levels.

To this, Mr Mah stressed that 'the HDB resale market is a free market, and we should keep it that way'.

He said the COV is the result of negotiation between willing parties and reluctant buyers can always walk away.

In any case, Mr Mah added, the bulk of resale flat buyers are citizens who do not own private property, and 'there is no evidence' that specific buyer groups such as permanent residents or private property owners are driving up prices.

fiochan@sph.com.sg

HOW ABOUT...

...prohibiting private property owners from buying HDB flats?

...removing the income ceiling for HDB flat buyers?

...taxing foreigners who resell property within 3 years of buying it?

...building a ready supply of new flats for buyers with urgent needs?

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
In HDB living, 'give and take is often necessary'
By Sue-Ann Chia
NATIONAL Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday addressed the issue of flat owners up in arms over the fact that new rental flats will be built in their neighbourhoods.

Appealing for their understanding, he said: 'In land-scarce Singapore, give and take is often necessary to make space for the different groups in our society.'

He was replying to Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC) during the debate on his ministry's budget estimates.

She brought up residents' grievances that they had not been consulted about the move to build rental flats in their neighbourhoods.

Mr Mah said residents were informed of construction works before these started.

'As far as possible, HDB will minimise blockage and inconvenience from the rental blocks. As for concerns about resale prices, HDB's data suggests that rental blocks alone do not affect prices,' he added.

Responding to demand from Singaporeans, the Housing Board recently decided to build 7,000 more rental flats in various parts of Singapore over the next three years.

This will increase the supply of rental flats to 50,000 units.

Combined with changes to eligibility rules, the increased supply will halve waiting time for such flats - from 21 months a year ago to 12 months now.

This way, the Government ensures that the truly needy get rental flats faster, Mr Mah noted in response to Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) and Madam Ho.

Mr Teo recounted the story of a couple with two young children - aged two and four - who appealed to him for help. They lived in a room in a friend's house, but because their friend needed the room back, they 'were extremely anxious and helpless' while waiting for a rental flat to be allocated to them.

Said Mr Teo, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports: 'Time is of the essence... While they are waiting, they can't afford to live anywhere else, (so) they end up living outdoors.'

Mr Mah assured MPs that the HDB 'has a heart' and will help those in genuine need.

But he also pointed out: 'The problem is that sometimes people take advantage of HDB's kindness.'

He cited the case of a resident who did not pay his loan instalments for three years, resulting in the HDB having to acquire the flat back from him.

'There is a limit to compassion. Decisive action is needed to prevent households from spiralling further into debt, but HDB will always ensure that they have viable housing options,' said Mr Mah.

 

[jq75]

Mar 6, 2010
BUDGET DEBATE
Lift upgrades: Town councils to receive help
TOWN councils can look forward to government help in paying for lift upgrading.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu said it is considering a one-off subsidy for town councils, estimated at $130 million in total.

The amount each will receive will depend partly on the complexity and scale of the lift upgrading project, she said yesterday.

Town councils will be given the details later this year.

They now co-pay the cost of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) to make it more affordable for residents.

While this is well-intended and should be upheld, it must be ensured that this co-payment 'does not overstrain the town councils' ability to meet other cyclical works, which are also for the benefit of residents', said Ms Fu.

She added that even though the Government bears the bulk of the cost of the LUP, at $5.5 billion, town councils still have to co-pay about $360 million in total - not a small sum.

This can pose a 'significant burden' for some town councils, especially those with a high concentration of flats built in the 1980s, when homes were built to allow greater privacy. These flats will require costlier lift projects.

Ms Fu was answering questions from MPs, such as Mr Ahmad Magad (Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC) and Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Tampines GRC), on the lift upgrading burden on town councils.

She also provided an update on the LUP, saying it was 'on track'.

The Government has identified more than 90 per cent of the blocks eligible for lift upgrading, and 50 per cent have works completed or ongoing, she said.

The HDB will select the remaining blocks for upgrading over the next two years or so and the whole programme will be completed by 2014, as earlier announced.

 

[jq75]

Mar 7, 2010
Property agents call for curbs on subletting
They say rule changes on reselling do not go far enough in controlling speculation
By Irene Tham
The slew of new measures announced by the Government last Friday to curb speculative buying and selling of Housing Board flats does not address one issue - subletting - said property experts.

Under current rules, buyers of resale HDB flats can sublet the entire flat after three years if they did not take a government grant or HDB loan.

If they bought the flat with the grant and HDB loan, the minimum stay-in period is five years.

'If you want to stop prices from rising and people from speculating, control the rental market too,' said Mr Raymond Quah, president of Dennis Wee Properties.

The rental market indirectly influences the price of resale flats, said agents.

Home owners, realising that they can make money from rentals, are unlikely to sell their flats should they go on to buy private property.

This may lead to a dip in the supply of resale flats in the market, resulting in resale flat prices going up, said Mr Steven Tan, executive director of OrangeTee's residential division.

There are also other factors that influence resale flat prices. One is the reselling of flats as soon as the minimum occupation period is up - one year for those who bought a resale flat without government subsidies or loans.

That is why the Government unveiled new rules last Friday to curb speculative buying and selling of public housing.

Among these new rules is one that states that the minimum occupation period for resale flats with and without subsidy is now three years.

The current rules on subletting were laid down in 2007 - after earlier rule changes in 2005 and 2003 - to allow more people to earn cash from leasing out their property.

Before 2003, owners were not allowed to rent out their flats unless they were working abroad, for example.

That year, HDB relaxed the rule to allow home owners to rent out their flats after 10 years if they had paid up the loan, and 15 years if they had not. In 2005, this was cut to five and 10 years respectively.

'But the circumstances are different now - prices have spiked - and it is time to go back to the old rules,' said Mr Quah.

There had been spikes in HDB resale prices in the three months following every rental rule change, suggesting there may be a connection between resale prices and subletting.

For instance, in the second quarter of 2003 following the February 2003 HDB rental rule change, resale prices went up by 2.13 per cent from first-quarter prices, according to HDB's resale price index. This compared with only a 0.2 per cent increase in the same period a year ago.

More recently, after further easing of subletting rules in March 2007, the three months that followed saw resale prices jump 2.95 per cent. This compares with a 0.98 per cent increase during the same period in 2006.

Ms Jarina Shamsudeen, an agent with property firm PropNex, also felt the Government should revert to the old subletting rules to control property prices.

Based on anecdotal evidence, more Singaporeans approaching 35 years old are buying and subletting their flats for income. 'Permanent residents are doing that too,' she said.

Ms Jarina suggested that only Singaporeans posted overseas should be allowed to sublet their flats, and that private home owners should also be barred from subletting.

According to OrangeTee's Mr Tan, tweaking subletting rules is necessary because 'no matter how small the contributing factors are, they do add up'.

He was responding to a comment from National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan that only

3 per cent - or 20,460 flats - of eligible homes are sublet.

Mr Mah suggested that most flat owners are buying their flats for occupation and not rental.

'If private property owners can buy HDB flats or keep their existing flat to earn money from rentals, the supply of resale HDB flats will dip,' Mr Tan said. This will push up the prices of resale flats.

Illegal subletting may have indirectly contributed to rising HDB prices, said Knight Frank consultant Peter Ow.

It is known that some people lock up a room in the flat but lease out the entire unit, exploiting a loophole in the law.

'This is not an issue of policy but policing,' Mr Ow said.

Unless rules are enforced rigorously, having them will not deter people from doing things behind the backs of the authorities.

'Even if there are rules to control subletting, people will still break them. So the rules - tighter or not - would not have much of an impact,' said an ERA agent who did not want to be named.

But not all home owners who rent out their flats are speculators.

Retiree Christine Chan, 65, rents out two rooms in her five-room flat in Choa Chu Kang as this is her only source of income.

'I cannot find employment anymore due to my age, so I rely on the $1,000 I make from renting out two rooms for retirement,' she said.

'I am not looking to make a quick buck. I feel that if the Government were to tighten the rules, it should make some exceptions.'

 

[jq75]

Mar 13, 2010
Illegal subletting: HDB to repossess man's flats
By Yeo Shang Long

HDB started checks after getting tip-off
IT ALL started with a tip-off to the Housing Board (HDB): A four-room flat in Bukit Batok was being rented out illegally.

Further checks confirmed that the flat - bought by Mr Poh Boon Kay and his wife Khoo Kim Cheng in June 2007 - had been sublet without the HDB's prior approval to three Myanmar couples at a monthly rent of $1,900.

Mr Poh, a housing agent, and his family did not live in the flat.

They were told to evict the sub-tenants immediately on Nov 25 last year, failing which the board would take possession of the flat.

But the sub-tenants did not go.

On Dec 23, the HDB sent Mr Poh a notice to say it would take back his flat.

But Mr Poh, 61, claimed his tenants had agreed in writing to vacate the flat by the end of December.

The next day, he and his wife appealed against the HDB's move. They said they intended to sell the flat to one of the tenants, who needed to sort out his finances.

The HDB then interviewed the couple on Jan 5 this year, during which they claimed they did not know that they needed prior approval to sublet the flat.

They also claimed that they were not aware of the minimum occupation period (MOP) of three years before they were allowed to sublet the flat.

But further HDB investigations showed that Mr Poh was connected with two other cases of unauthorised subletting of flats belonging to his relatives in Bukit Batok and Telok Blangah.

The flat in Bukit Batok belonged to his aunt, aged 91, and had been sublet to Myanmar monks since July last year for a monthly rent of $1,400.

The monks used it as a meditation centre, and the rent was paid to Mr Poh, who acted as his aunt's housing agent.

The Telok Blangah flat, meanwhile, was owned by his daughter.

It had been rented out for $900 monthly since May.

Checks with neighbours confirmed that Mr Poh's daughter was not living there.

Both flats were also sublet without obtaining the HDB's prior consent, and the board said that it would be taking steps to acquire them compulsorily.

In a statement yesterday, the HDB said that the additional cases of illegal subletting by Mr Poh showed that his claims of being unaware of the HDB's rules cannot be substantiated.

'These regulations are publicly available from many sources,' it said, adding that 'there is clear evidence that Mr Poh, a housing agent by profession, has been intentionally abusing HDB flats for monetary gains'.

It concluded: 'As he has blatantly flouted HDB's rules, there are no grounds for leniency.'


Mr Poh Boon Kay shows the compulsory acquisition notice for his Bukit Batok flat, which had been rented out illegally. -- ST PHOTOS: AZIZ HUSSIN

View more photos

IN A clear warning to those who sublet their flats illegally, the Housing Board (HDB) has moved to take back three apartments linked to a real estate agent who owns five private properties.

One flat to be repossessed belongs to the real estate agent, Mr Poh Boon Kay, 61, and his wife, Madam Khoo Kim Cheng, 52, who had illegally sublet their four-room flat in Bukit Batok.

The other two flats in Telok Blangah and Bukit Batok are owned by the couple's daughter and Madam Khoo's 91-year-old aunt respectively. Both flats were also illegally rented out.

He acted as agent for the elderly woman and collected rent on her behalf.

The HDB said it is taking legal action to take back the units.

It is the most serious case of illegal subletting in the last two years. Only three other flats have been compulsorily acquired in that time.

In November last year, the HDB checked and found that Mr Poh had sublet his flat to three Myanmar couples without HDB approval.

The Pohs, who were not living there at that time, had also breached the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of three years. This rule states that buyers who purchase resale flats without a housing grant from the Central Provident Fund Board have to live in the flat for three years before they can rent out the whole unit.

The HDB then told Mr Poh this was unauthorised, and that they were intending to repossess his flat. On Dec 23, the HDB pasted a notice of intention to compulsorily acquire his flat.

The HDB told The Straits Times yesterday that Mr Poh will continue to hold the title deeds until investigations are complete. It will then decide whether to take back the title deeds officially and compensate him to the amount of $125,000.

Mr Poh, who claims he paid $155,000 for the house, can lodge an appeal against the notice. When asked, he said he was intending to appeal.

Mr Poh, an ordinary member of the Institute of Estate Agents (IEA), pleaded ignorance of the three-year MOP; he said he had been told by the HDB's counter staff that he could sublet the flat after a year. He could not name the HDB employee.

But the HDB said that because of Mr Poh's links to the other illegal subletting cases, his claims of ignorance could not be substantiated.

'There is clear evidence that Mr Poh, a housing agent by profession, has been intentionally abusing HDB flats for monetary gains,' said the HDB spokesman.

Mr Poh said he had not seen the acquisition coming. He added: 'I can't believe a notice can be served within a month of the HDB giving a warning letter.'

He said it was more usual for the HDB to send a second warning, or even fine an errant owner first.

The Housing and Development Act says, however, that the HDB can compulsorily acquire a flat once it ascertains that the owner is illegally subletting it.

'HDB takes a stern view of unauthorised subletting, and will not hesitate to take strong action against those who flout the rules,' it said.

The Board added that it will bring Mr Poh's case to the attention of the IEA.

Mr Poh, who claims his daughter is stuck in the United States with marital problems, declined to discuss the cases involving her and his wife's aunt.

He said he did not know for sure when they bought their flats.

The HDB has taken action against 56 such owners in the last two years, dishing out punishments ranging from fines of $1,000 to $21,000, to repossessing the flats involved.

HDB added that there was no discernible upward trend.

Flat owners who wish to rent out their flats must obtain approval from the Board and fulfil the MOP. The current MOP for subletting flats is five years for flats bought directly from the HDB or resale flats purchased with a CPF Housing Grant, and three years for resale flats bought without the CPF grant.

About 682,000 flats are eligible for subletting, but only 3per cent of these flats are sublet.

 

[jq75]

Mar 13, 2010
HDB started checks after getting tip-off
IT ALL started with a tip-off to the Housing Board (HDB): A four-room flat in Bukit Batok was being rented out illegally.

Further checks confirmed that the flat - bought by Mr Poh Boon Kay and his wife Khoo Kim Cheng in June 2007 - had been sublet without the HDB's prior approval to three Myanmar couples at a monthly rent of $1,900.

Mr Poh, a housing agent, and his family did not live in the flat.

They were told to evict the sub-tenants immediately on Nov 25 last year, failing which the board would take possession of the flat.

But the sub-tenants did not go.

On Dec 23, the HDB sent Mr Poh a notice to say it would take back his flat.

But Mr Poh, 61, claimed his tenants had agreed in writing to vacate the flat by the end of December.

The next day, he and his wife appealed against the HDB's move. They said they intended to sell the flat to one of the tenants, who needed to sort out his finances.

The HDB then interviewed the couple on Jan 5 this year, during which they claimed they did not know that they needed prior approval to sublet the flat.

They also claimed that they were not aware of the minimum occupation period (MOP) of three years before they were allowed to sublet the flat.

But further HDB investigations showed that Mr Poh was connected with two other cases of unauthorised subletting of flats belonging to his relatives in Bukit Batok and Telok Blangah.

The flat in Bukit Batok belonged to his aunt, aged 91, and had been sublet to Myanmar monks since July last year for a monthly rent of $1,400.

The monks used it as a meditation centre, and the rent was paid to Mr Poh, who acted as his aunt's housing agent.

The Telok Blangah flat, meanwhile, was owned by his daughter.

It had been rented out for $900 monthly since May.

Checks with neighbours confirmed that Mr Poh's daughter was not living there.

Both flats were also sublet without obtaining the HDB's prior consent, and the board said that it would be taking steps to acquire them compulsorily.

In a statement yesterday, the HDB said that the additional cases of illegal subletting by Mr Poh showed that his claims of being unaware of the HDB's rules cannot be substantiated.

'These regulations are publicly available from many sources,' it said, adding that 'there is clear evidence that Mr Poh, a housing agent by profession, has been intentionally abusing HDB flats for monetary gains'.

It concluded: 'As he has blatantly flouted HDB's rules, there are no grounds for leniency.'

 

[jq75]

Mar 13, 2010
Lift upgrading in Eunos resumes
HDB agrees to 10 of 15 requests from residents, ending 10-month delay
By Ang Yiying


FINAL DECISION
'HDB cannot continue to engage in discussions to improve the package, as works have been delayed by 10 months. It is also not fair to the majority of residents who are waiting for the lift upgrading works to be completed.'

An HDB spokesman

What HDB is funding
CHANGES AGREED TO:

Rebuilding part of the lift lobby wall facing flats so it is angled and becomes a niche for potted plants on alternate floors.
Replacing part of the same wall with horizontal and vertical fins to allow ventilation.
Adding daytime lighting to the corridor outside the bedrooms of blocked flats.
Adding ventilation fans to bedrooms and living rooms, if residents want them.
Using a different material for the canopy at lift lobbies to reduce the sound of rain.
Rounding the sharp edges of the column facing front doors.
Using daytime lighting instead of warm lighting at lift lobbies.
IN ADDITION:

Residents may also choose to replace their bedroom windows with windows that are angled, with HDB paying 80 per cent of the cost as a goodwill measure.

Workers carrying out lift upgrading works at Block 411, Eunos Road 5 yesterday. Works had been delayed because some home owners protested that new lift shafts already built blocked light and ventilation to their flats. the HDB agreed to modify the external shafts. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

WORKS on a lift upgrading project in Eunos that had been delayed for about 10 months restarted yesterday.

Progress was made at a meeting on Thursday when the Housing Board agreed to 10 out of 15 requests from unhappy residents.

The home owners in Blocks 411, 415 and 417 in Eunos Road 5 had protested that new lift shafts already built blocked light and ventilation to their flats.

The HDB, which stopped work in the middle of last year to attend to the grievances, agreed to modify the external lift shafts and install extra lighting and ventilation fins.

It did not agree to some other requests, such as replacing residents' windows with new slide and casement windows, and installing full-floor tiles and false ceilings for the lift lobbies.

Most of the dissenters said they wanted the project to move on.

One of them, Block 415 resident Lee Wong Mun, 61, a retired technical adviser, said: 'I think the lift (works) should go on, then the rest - the minor things - we can thrash out later.

'Some residents have problems climbing up stairs, especially the older ones.'

Altogether, 14 units out of 116 in each of the three U-shaped blocks had been affected by the new lifts, and some home owners had wanted them torn down.

HDB is picking up the tab for the 10 measures it is now extending, which will come up to $780,000.

The requests were gathered through a work group formed in January, comprising some unhappy residents as well as representatives from the residents' committee, town council and the HDB.

Another affected resident, Madam Shamshiyati Sayas, 54, an operations assistant who lives in Block 417, said she was not totally happy with the package but wanted a closure. 'What to do? You cannot turn back the clock.'

She said the unfinished works and construction site were an eyesore and could not be left indefinitely.

But others were unhappy that not all requests were granted.

Retiree Eng Ah Hee, 63, a resident in Block 417, said he did not accept HDB's reasons: ''Non-standard' and 'norms' are not good enough.'

But the HDB said it had agreed only to items that had an impact on the primary concerns of the light, view and ventilation being blocked.

Responding, Dr Ong Seh Hong, the MP for the precinct, said he felt HDB's solutions were reasonable.

He noted that some of the works not granted were also not part of lift upgrading programmes in other areas, and that HDB had to be prudent with public funds.

'I think there must be a line drawn. Those that are for mitigating (the problem) have been agreed to,' he said.

With works resuming, the entire project - which was supposed to have been completed this year - will now be completed by the second quarter of next year.

Yesterday, an HDB spokesman said: 'This will be the final package of goodwill and mitigation measures that HDB will be able to provide to affected residents.

'HDB cannot continue to engage in discussions to improve the package, as works have been delayed by 10 months. It is also not fair to the majority of residents who are waiting for the lift upgrading works to be completed.'

One of them is Block 417 resident Goh Tee Juan, a 59-year-old plumber living on a non-lift landing floor, who said in Mandarin, 'Of course, I hope for the lifts to be operational. They will be more convenient.'

But he said he could empathise with the predicament of the home owners who were getting less light and air.

 

[jq75]

Mar 13, 2010
Gatecrashing, walkouts at closed-door meeting
TENSIONS between those on either side of the Eunos lift upgrading saga have emerged, although the project has restarted.

A confrontation erupted on Thursday when uninvited residents showed up at a closed-door meeting.

The meeting was meant for the 42 home owners who have complained about the external lift shafts erected by the Housing Board.

It also included the project's consultant and Dr Ong Seh Hong, the MP for the area.

But several people at the meeting told The Straits Times that they realised there was an 'interloper' among them when one person stood up and accused the others of delaying the upgrading works.

An exchange of words then broke out, followed by a walkout by most of those invited to the meeting.

Retiree Eng Ah Hee, 63, who was among those who walked out, said that it was meant to be a closed-door meeting and other parties should not have been allowed in.

Corporate planner Khng Hwee Peng, 40, who had followed her parents out of the room, said: 'We don't want to be arguing with HDB and our neighbours.'

One of those who gatecrashed the meeting, Madam Chow Woon Chun, 64, told The Straits Times that she had heard of the meeting and asked a few of her neighbours to go along so they could be kept abreast of the lift upgrading situation.

The retiree said she did not know that the meeting was restricted.

But she added that she had a right to speak up as she was affected by the delay to the lift upgrading project.

She said in Mandarin: 'Why is it that we do not have the right to have the project completed? It cannot drag on.'

Mr Rahmat Sawie, 56, chairman of the Eunos Village Residents' Committee, said he had invited some RC members to attend the meeting, so they would have an understanding of the situation and explain it to the other residents.

Madam Chow was not among them, however.

Still, Mr Rahmat said, 'they are our residents. I cannot just chase them away'.

 

[jq75]

Mar 13, 2010
More seniors now socially active: HDB
By Melissa Sim

HOUSEHOLD MATTERS
THE elderly residents in public housing estates are certainly becoming more active.

They are taking part in activities in their community clubs, residents' committees and religious organisations, in that order of preference.

The results of the HDB Sample Household Survey of 2008 released yesterday indicated that 46.9 per cent of those aged 65 and above took part in community activities - a leap from the 16.8 per cent 10 years ago and a rise from the 40.7 per cent five years ago.

The survey covered almost 8,000 households, among which 865 were 'elderly households', headed by someone aged 65 years or older.

Ms Joan Pereira, director of the Family Life and Active Ageing Division at the People's Association, said she was gratified that seniors were more active now.

She said: 'When our seniors are actively participating in programmes... they make friends, deepen friendships, and best of all, enjoy a high quality of life for as long as possible.'

It is what the Government has been pushing for in the last few years. It was concerned enough about the issue to set up a Ministerial Committee on Ageing in 2007, tasked with helping seniors to stay healthy and active, as well as employed, which strengthens their financial security, among other things.

The numbers show why the Government is concerned: Back in 2003, one in 13 persons here was elderly; in 2030, the ratio will be one in five.

This points the way to a rapidly falling number of younger, economically active people bearing the increasing burden of supporting a growing grey brigade.

Among the elderly people who connect themselves to their community is retiree Sim Soo Ngan, 73. He lives alone in Hougang, but goes on outings organised by the community club and attends talks on wellness; he also volunteers to teach English to other seniors in his block.

He said: 'Time passes much faster when I'm with friends. And if there's a need, we can help one another.'

The HDB survey also revealed that more senior citizens are going beyond cursory greetings with their neighbours. Almost 95 per cent of the elderly respondents said they get into conversations with them, an improvement over the 82.5 per cent in 2003.

A larger majority of the elderly respondents - more than 97 per cent - said they were generally happy with their flats and neighbourhoods; nearly all - 99.6 per cent - said they had at least one financial source, from their children, savings or employment.

But some griped about the age of their flats and inconsiderate neighbours.

Lift services also emerged as an area of dissatisfaction, with about 20 per cent of the elderly-resident households complaining that the lift did not stop on their floors.

The almost-decade-old Lift Upgrading Programme aims to make almost all HDB blocks elderly- and disabled-friendly by 2014 by retrofitting lifts to stop on every floor

 

[jq75]

Mar 17, 2010
PR quota reached in some HDB areas
Flat buyers have to widen search or be willing to pay more
By Esther Teo

Block 693 in Jurong West Central 1 has already reached the PR household quota. Other areas popular with PRs include neighbourhoods in Choa Chu Kang, Sembawang, Sengkang and Bukit Batok. -- ST PHOTO: SAMUEL HE

PERMANENT residents looking to buy an HDB flat may have to widen their search beyond popular areas as some parts of the island have already reached the limits set out in the new quota system.

PRs will not be able to buy flats in certain areas in Jurong West, Choa Chu Kang, Sembawang, Sengkang or Bukit Batok unless they are prepared to pay a premium over the asking price in the hope of enticing other PRs to sell.

The areas have long been popular with PRs but some neighbourhoods and blocks are at the limit outlined by the Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) quota introduced earlier this month.

It sets a cap for PR households of 8 per cent in each block and 5 per cent within each neighbourhood to prevent enclaves of foreigners forming in the heartlands.

The HDB's website showed that certain addresses in these areas have reached their PR quota. The addresses include Admiralty Drive and Canberra Road in Sembawang, Anchorvale Link in Sengkang, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5, Bukit Batok East Avenue 3, Woodlands Avenue 6 and Jurong West Central 1.

A non-Malaysian PR, for example, is eligible to buy a flat from any seller in Clementi Avenue 6. But he can buy only from a fellow non-Malaysian PR at Bukit Batok East Avenue 3 because the quota for the proportion of non-Malaysian PRs in that area has already been reached.

In some blocks, the market is even tighter after throwing the ethnic quota into the mix. For example, if an Indian non-Malaysian PR wants to buy a unit at 313C Anchorvale Road, he would have to buy a unit from an Indian non-Malaysian PR seller to maintain the balance.

PRs comprise about 14 per cent of the population in HDB flats, according to 2009 figures.

Property experts say the quota system might cause greater disparities in prices, not just among neighbourhoods, but within a block as well.

The Ethnic Integration Policy - which sets ratios for ethnic groups to ensure a balanced mix in housing estates - has also had a similar effect.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said that PRs selling HDB flats in neighbourhoods or blocks that have reached their quota will be able to quote a higher price when selling to other PRs.

'Assuming PRs can afford it, they might be willing to pay for a flat that might be nearer to good schools or the MRT, or to get a good view. But if the quota is reached they won't be able to buy unless they offer a higher price.'

However, this effect is not expected to be big enough to affect general market trends, said Chesterton Suntec International's research and consultancy director, Mr Colin Tan. 'Some people will be willing to pay more to live with those from their country, but how much more is very subjective,' he said.

Property agents say being near others of the same nationality is not a major pull factor for PRs. Cost and distance from their workplace weigh more heavily.

PRs from Myanmar like Jurong West because they work in nearby shipyards, offices and factories while Filipinos choose Jurong West, Simei and Bukit Panjang for the relatively cheaper prices.

PRs from Malaysia and China are scattered islandwide. Their key considerations are mainly cost and proximity to work, transport options like an MRT station or bus interchange and facilities such as schools and supermarkets.

Mr Jeffrey Hong, HSR International Realtors' executive director of agency, said some PRs might consider moving elsewhere if the asking price over valuation is too high.

The Jurong estate, for example, has seen a 15 per cent rise in HDB prices over the past nine months, he said.

Chinese PRs might move from Jurong to areas like Yishun and Woodlands while Indian PRs might move from Serangoon to nearby Hougang and Lorong Ah Soo if quotas were soon to be reached.

'These places are less pricey and also not that far from their ideal location,' Mr Hong said.

 

[jq75]

Mar 23, 2010
3 residential sites for sale
By Joyce Teo
Where the 3 sites are
Land Parcel at Boon Lay Way

With a site area of about 1.61 ha, the land parcel will have a maximum permissible gross floor area (GFA) of 56,411 sq m which can potentially yield about 525 residential units.

The site is located in close proximity to Jurong Gateway, which is envisaged to be the largest commercial hub outside the city centre, and Jurong Lake District which will be transformed into a world class leisure destination. Located next to the Lakeside Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, residents in the future development will enjoy convenient access to all parts of the island.

Land Parcel at Simei Street 3

The 1.18 ha land parcel at Simei Street 3 has a maximum permissible GFA of 27,124 sq m and can potentially yield about 250 housing units.

Located in the eastern part of Singapore near the Changi Business Park and the future Singapore University of Technology and Design which will open in 2011, the future residential development can cater to the housing needs of those working in the area. The site is also conveniently located within walking distance to Simei MRT station.

Land Parcel at Stirling Road

Located within an established private residential area, the land parcel has a site area of about 1.06 ha and can potentially yield about 405 housing units.

The site is easily accessible via major roads and expressways such as the Ayer Rajah Expressway, Queensway and Alexandra Road. Future residents can also enjoy convenient access to all parts of the island via the nearby Queenstown MRT station.

The land parcel site at Stirling Road is placed under the Reserve List. -- ST PHOTO: CALVIN LOW

THE Government has put two sites up for sale. One is in Boon Lay Way and the other is in Simei Street 3.

The Boon Lay Way site can yield about 525 units and is next to Lakeside MRT station. The Simei site can yield about 250 units and is very near Simei MRT station. The tenders for the Boon Lay Way and Simei sites will close on May 4 and 11 respectively.

The Government also made available a site in Stirling Road for sale under the reserve list system. Developers who are keen on this site will have to indicate their interest by committing to a minimum bid the Government deemed acceptable.

Together, these three residential sites can potentially yield about 1,180 housing units, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority in a statement on Tuesday.

Since January, the Government has sold four residential sites, which can offer up to 1,710 housing units. Another two private residential sites - at Sembawang Road and Upper Serangoon Road - will be released for sale via the Confirmed List in April.

In total, the eight confirmed list sites in the first half of the GLS programme, can potentially provide about 2,925 residential

 

[jq75]

Mar 26, 2010
Bras Basah flat sets HDB price record
By Jessica Cheam

The four-room flat on the 25th floor of a block (above) in Bain Street was purchased last month by a Taiwanese couple who paid $70,000 above the flat's valuation. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA

A TAIWANESE couple have paid $650,000 for a four-room flat in Bain Street - smashing Housing Board (HDB) records and reflecting the strength in the red-hot resale market.

The sale price works out to be $736 per sq ft (psf) for the 30-year-old flat on the 25th floor of a block at Bras Basah.

That is the highest psf price paid for an HDB property and is on a par with prices of private homes in suburban areas.

But the Taiwanese, who are permanent residents (PRs), bought the 883 sq ft flat last month for its proximity to their work place in the City Hall area, its designer interior and panoramic views, said ERA Realty agent William Koh, who brokered the deal. The couple paid $70,000 above the flat's valuation.

The sellers were a young Singaporean couple who have a child. Both buyer and seller declined to be interviewed.

The price trumps the old record set last November when a four-room, 969 sq ft flat at Strathmore Avenue in Queenstown sold for $653,000 or $674 psf.

Housing analysts were surprised at the price achieved in Bain Street.

ERA Asia-Pacific associate director Eugene Lim said the purchase was unusual although demand 'is still strong', with upgraders, downgraders and PRs propping up the market.

The HDB recently tightened rules on the resale market. Buyers of non-subsidised HDB resale flats must now occupy their property for at least three years before they can sell it. This is up from 2.5 years or one year previously, depending on the financing.

The HDB has also imposed limits on the number of HDB flats in each block and neighbourhood that can be sold to non-Malaysian PRs to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves.

 

[BornInSg]

Extracted from -
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourS...673/threadid/836/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
- pages 266 to 268
-----------------
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourS...655/threadid/836/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx
Posted : 26/03/2010 4:41 PM

To: Grace Fu, Senior MOS for National Development

http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/0...we-respect-them/comment-page-4/#comment-98837

 To: Grace Fu, Senior MOS for National Development, on Fri, 26th Mar 2010 8:31 am

To: Grace Fu, Senior MOS for National Development,


VERY ‘ dis-GRACE FU-l ‘ INDEED.


MPs refusing to answer calls for help to help native Singaporean for so many months.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/1...rotest-against-hdbs-lift-upgrading-programme/
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2579980


VERY ‘ dis-GRACE FU-l ‘ INDEED.


Senior public / civil servants like GM WCTC-Clemeti, HDB Deputy Directors n HDB CEO, ARE ALSO REFFUSING TO RESPONSE.

How can such senior civil/public refuse to response, SHOULDN’T ACTION BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM????

Listed below are MPs who refuses to answer call for help.
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2702099
[posting at 19-03-2010 , 08:26PM]

There are renewed calls to help this handicap guy and probably many others that are still stuck at home
at Clementi Ave 5 , Blk 340 n surrounding blocks
– where residents still need to climb stairs to access the lift after a SCREW-LUP which the lift don’t stops at all floors

WHY IS IT THAT SIMLIAR DESIGN BLOCKS at Bedok, AMK, Aljunied, n Jurong East,
CAN HAVE LUP DONE AND LIFT STOPS AT ALL FLOORS,

BUT YOUR HDB CAN'T DO IT AT Clementi Ave 5, Blk 340 and surrounding blocks.
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourS...655/threadid/836/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx [page 266]
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourS...602/threadid/612/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx [page 261]
http://app.reach.gov.sg/reach/YourS...47/threadid/3261/forumtype/posts/Default.aspx [pages 1 n 2]

Posted : 26/03/2010 5:04 PM

To: Grace Fu, Senior MOS for National Development


To: Grace Fu,
Senior MOS for National Development


PSE DO GO HELP THAT HANDICAP MAN THAT CANT LEAVE HIS HOUSE AND PROB MANY OTHERS AT CLEMENTI AVE 5, BLOCK 340 N SURROUNDING BLOCKS.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING LUP, AND THE LIFT STILL DONT STOP AT ALL FLOORS?????

 

[jq75]

Mar 30, 2010
More living near parents: HDB
Study of 8,000 households shows HDB policies work
By Ang Yiying

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20100330/b3.jpg
Mr Kok Chee Keong (left), 43, visiting his parents in their flat, one floor above his own in Ang Mo Kio. Being close by makes it convenient for him to take care of mother Leong Fong Yee and father Kok Thim Pak. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

MORE married children now live in the same estate as their parents.

The proportion of such children rose from 29.3 per cent in 1998 to 35.5 per cent in 2008, according to a 2008 Housing Board survey of around 8,000 households.

The count comprises married children, aged 21 to 54, who live in the same flat, the same block, a neighbouring block or a block in the same estate as their parents.

HDB said it saw the 6 percentage point rise over 10 years as an encouraging sign that its housing policies to get people to live near their parents were a step in the right direction.

Since getting married in 2001, store assistant Kok Chee Keong, 43, and his wife have been living one floor below his parents in Ang Mo Kio. It was a deliberate choice, borne out of his desire to take care of them.

'My parents are getting old,' he said of his 72-year-old father and 69-year-old mother, who had until last year helped baby-sit his children who are aged seven and eight.

The HDB survey did not ask respondents why they chose to live with or near their parents but noted that such couples usually have children aged 12 and below or no children.

HDB said the findings suggest that such families appreciate the benefits of living near their parents for the convenience of childcare or meal-sharing.

But Assistant Professor Chung Wai Keung, a sociologist at the Singapore Management University, was more cautious about drawing too many inferences from the 6 percentage point rise.

He said he did not think the increase was particularly significant over a decade, and that the trend could be a result of more opportunities for the younger generation to buy resale flats in mature estates.

Another trend revealed in the survey: The number of married residents living under the same roof as their parents also rose over the same time period, from 10.7 per cent to 14 per cent.

For some though, this was a temporary arrangement while they waited for their new flats to be completed.

Mr Edmund Ang Yew Huat, 30, and his wife have been living with his parents in Holland Close since they got married in January.

It will be five years before the young couple's flat in nearby Queenstown is ready.

Mr Ang, an executive in a non-profit organisation, said he and his wife could have had a shorter wait had they gone for a new flat in Punggol, but he ruled it out.

'My parents didn't want me to live so far away,' he said.

For some couples though, proximity to their parents' home was less important than the cost of their flat and how soon they could get it.

Teacher Simranpal Singh Sandhu, 29, and his wife would have liked to live near his parents in Yishun. But they found the cash-over-valuation of four-room resale flats there too high and opted for a new flat in Boon Keng instead.

The flat is not cheaper than the ones in Yishun, which cost over $300,000, but they do not need to pay cash upfront and can move into the flat in six months or so.