Tag Archives: Housing Development Board

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 →

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Don’t make applicants pay again and again in futile bidding for Duxton flats

Posted on 8 Oct 2009 | 1 comment

I REFER to the report, ‘Pinnacle in name, and in pricing too?’ (Sept 6).

I read with mixed feelings when HDB launched the Pinnacle@Duxton flats for the third time. As a first-timer, I have balloted for the flats, not once but twice. In the first balloting exercise, my queue number was over 4,300 and I was not given a chance to select a flat at all. This is despite the fact that HDB had more than 1,000 surplus flats in last year’s balloting exercise.

I decided to ballot again and I was given a queue number of over 900. We were overjoyed when we received the HDB letter inviting us to select a flat. But the joy was short-lived as HDB sent us a last-minute SMS to say the selection exercise was cancelled because the ethnic quota had been reached.

Now HDB is relaunching the sale for the third time.

With each ballot, I have to pay an administration fee, only to have my hopes dashed.

HDB said that people who were invited to the exercise eventually did not book a flat and thus there was surplus. But in our case, we were not even given a chance to select a flat.

HDB should review its internal procedure to ensure that all applicants in the queue are given a chance to choose a flat if there is a surplus, instead of starting another round of exercise and another round of administrative fee collecion.

Anna Lee (Ms)

See Also : HDB skybridge will make money, so why ask residents to pay?

Source : Straits Times – 8 Oct 2009

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