Tag Archives: HDB News

Wet market closures – Govt should step in

Posted on 9 Oct 2009 | Comments Off on Wet market closures – Govt should step in

I REFER to last Friday’s report, ‘Sale of five wet markets hits a snag‘.

I wish to appeal to the authorities not to permit existing wet markets to become air-conditioned supermarkets. There are clearly good reasons to keep costs down for both stallholders and customers.

Furthermore, to strengthen the sense of identity and belonging among Singaporeans, we must make a conscious effort to keep, support and enhance the vibrancy, social relevance and affordability of specific elements of our traditional lifestyle.

William Lim

Source : Straits Time – 9 Oct 2009

Comments Off on Wet market closures – Govt should step in

Posted in HDB

Tagged , , , ,

HDB figures put perceptions in perspective

Posted on 8 Oct 2009 | Comments Off on HDB figures put perceptions in perspective

High number of BTO applications does not equate to urgent housing need

Slightly more than half of first-timer applicants invited to book a flat under HDB’s Built-To-Order system between May 2008 and June 2009 did not book a flat, although this rejection rate is lower than before HDB refined its BTO application process in May last year.

That fine tuning saw HDB removing first-timer priority for those who had turned down two chances to select a flat.

Ninety per cent of flats in each BTO project are set aside for those who have first-timer priority.

HDB issued figures yesterday to debunk the perception that a high number of applications for BTO projects equates to urgent housing need, given the relatively still high rates of rejections by first-time applicants.

The average rejection rates furnished by HDB yesterday refer to BTO flats in non-mature estates, where the vast majority of such flats are located, and exclude studio apartments. HDB’s figures yesterday showed that between March 2007 and March 2008, before the application process was refined, 9,088 or 67 per cent of the 13,605 first-timer applicants invited to make their selection did not book a flat. Between May 2008 and June 2009, the rejection rate had fallen to 52 per cent or 6,747 of the 13,080 first-timer applicants invited.

The rejection rate for first-half 2009 has declined to 45 per cent. Continue reading →

Comments Off on HDB figures put perceptions in perspective

Posted in HDB

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,