Tag Archives: Public housing

Govt will look out for all homeowners

Future housing policies will take into consideration all homeowners, not just new ones, Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of National Development Dr Mohamad Maliki said at the second “Our Singapore Conversation on Housing” session held yesterday (May 8).

Dr Maliki stressed that existing homeowners’ interests will be considered even as changes to public housing policy are being discussed, noting how prices of new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats could have an impact on the resale market.

“How we manage the property market will have an impact on current home owners and we should not forget that because when we talk about prices of new flats, at some point, the behaviours of buyers will move in a certain direction and there will be impact on the resale market,” cautioned Dr Maliki.

The participants, who numbered more than 50, were also joined by Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Penny Low, who sits on the National Development Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC).

Topics discussed at yesterday evening’s session included whether the Executive Condominium and Design, Build and Sell Scheme should continue, whether the range of public housing currently available is adequate, and if the income ceiling for the purchase of BTO flats should be raised or possibly even removed.

Responding to calls by participants to remove the income ceiling for the purchase of Build-to-Order (BTO) flats, Dr Maliki acknowledged the complexity of housing all Singaporeans while meeting all aspirations and expectations.

“With (housing) 100 per cent, there will be more complexities because groups of people want different things and so that diversity is also something we have to consider,” said Dr Maliki.

Source – Today – 9 May 2013

Other HDB options available for retirees living in private homes

We refer to the letter “Loosen HDB rules for seniors living in private homes” (May 3) by Mr Ng Eng Hin. We understand Mr Ng’s intention is to monetise his current private property for his retirement needs.

New Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are highly subsidised and meant for those who meet certain criteria, such as families who neither own private properties nor exceed a set income ceiling.

To ensure that ex-private property owners do not compete with those households who have more pressing housing needs, they are allowed to buy subsidised public housing only 30 months after selling off their private property.

Besides buying a new flat from the HDB, there are other public housing options available to Mr Ng should he wish to sell off his private property and move to an HDB flat.

He could consider buying a resale HDB flat or a studio apartment with the substantial proceeds received, without having to wait 30 months.

FROM
LILY CHAN-WONG JEE CHOO, DIRECTOR (POLICY AND PROPERTY), HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Source – Today – 8 May 2013