Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“In 2024, a total of 992 flats are expected to be fully vacated to facilitate redevelopment under the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme. There are no plans to use the flats in this site for the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme because the site is required for near-term redevelopment.”
“As at December 2023, about 15,600 households servicing their HDB loans were in mortgage arrears of three months or more. This represented 5.7% of all households with outstanding HDB loans. Of these 15,600 households, the majority owed less than two years of arrears. To help households in mortgage arrears, HDB provides one-to-one financial counselling to homeowners and offers various financial assistance measures depending on the household's circumstances. This provides temporary relief for homeowners, so that they have some time to explore ways to improve their finances. The assistance measures include allowing homeowners to: (a) Reduce or defer their loan instalments for six months, with a further six-month extension (if necessary); and/or (b) Pay their loan arrears by instalments till their financial situation improves; and/or (c) Extend their mortgage loan tenure to help reduce their monthly instalments, if needed. Some households owe arrears of two or more years as they require more time to address complex issues, such as medical issues or the demise of the sole breadwinner; and explore ways to resolve their arrears. For such households that experience prolonged periods of financial difficulties, HDB will work with each household to tailor support and explore longer-term solutions, such as including working adult children as joint owners to help with the loan instalments or right-sizing to a flat within their means.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) regularly monitors the financial health of its BTO contractors, including the promptness of payments to subcontractors and suppliers, to ensure timely construction progress. When a main contractor faces financial difficulty, HDB may lean forward to provide additional assistance to improve the situation. These measures include advance payments or more frequent progress payments – that is, fortnightly progress payment instead of the usual monthly progress payment – to the main contractor, arranging direct payments to sub-contractors and co-sharing prolongation costs and foreign worker levy rebates arising due to delays caused by COVID-19. In the unfortunate event where the contract with the main contractor has to be terminated due to the contractor's financial difficulties, HDB will find a replacement contractor with a strong performance record to minimise completion delays. HDB will connect existing sub-contractors with the replacement contractor, for the main contractor to consider engaging the services of these sub-contractors moving forward. For cases where the main contractor undergoes liquidation, recovery of outstanding payments would be governed by insolvency rules and taken under the purview of the appointed liquidator.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) requires renovation contractors to properly dispose of renovation debris at disposal sites approved by the National Environment Agency at the end of every workday. Some contractors deploy skip tanks for the disposal of renovation debris. Town Councils (TCs) are responsible for managing and maintaining the common properties in HDB estates. This includes the regulation of proper disposal of renovation debris and bulky items. Contractors who intend to place skip tanks on common property, are required to seek approval from the TCs and are subject to the TCs' terms and conditions. Contractors who intend to place skip tanks outside of common property are required to seek HDB's approval. From the applications that HDB received, contractors typically apply to deploy their skip tanks over one to three days. Contractors must ensure that the skip tanks do not cause disamenities and safety hazards to residents and members of the public.”
“Apart from seniors, we recognise that there may be other current and former PPOs who may have urgent public housing needs due to extenuating circumstances. Such PPOs may approach HDB for assistance. Regardless of whether their private residential property is located in Singapore or overseas, HDB assesses their situation on a case-by-case basis and considers exercising flexibility depending on their specific needs and circumstances.”
“Private property owners (PPOs) must wait out a period of 30 months after the disposal of their private residential property before they are allowed to purchase a subsidised Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, such as a new flat from HDB or a resale flat with the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant. This prioritises the allocation of the Government's limited supply of public housing to households which need them more, such as first-time home buyers and those who cannot afford private housing. From 30 September 2022, current and former PPOs must wait out 15 months from the disposal of their private property before they are allowed to buy a non-subsidised resale flat. This is a temporary measure to moderate the demand for resale flats and ensure that resale flats remain affordable for flat buyers with greater housing needs. We will review this measure depending on the overall demand and market changes. The wait-out period applies to owners of both local and/or overseas residential properties. This ensures consistent treatment across both groups of private residential property owners. Nevertheless, we do recognise that some current and former PPOs may have urgent needs to access public housing. We have put in place exemptions for seniors who need to right-size to supplement their retirement adequacy. For example, the 30-month wait-out period does not apply to eligible seniors and their spouses who buy 2-room flexi flats on short leases or Community Care Apartments from HDB. In addition, eligible seniors who buy a 4-room and smaller non-subsidised resale flat are also exempted from the 15-month wait-out period. These seniors only need to dispose of their private properties in Singapore or overseas, within six months from the key collection date.”
“The National Parks Board does not collect data on the number of staff employed at licensed breeding facilities. All pet breeding facilities are required to meet animal health and welfare standards under the licensing conditions.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) carefully studies the layout of each site, taking into consideration its size and shape, and minimises the number of flats facing parking decks and bin centres, while maximising the number of north-south facing flats, among other design considerations. Of the 23,000 Build-To-Order dwelling units launched in 2023, about 700 dwelling units, or 3%, face the parking decks of a multi-storey car park (MSCP). To provide greater privacy to residents and prevent vehicle headlights from shining directly into these flats, screens and greenery are incorporated into the façades of MSCPs. In addition, MSCP rooftops are also designed as landscaped gardens to provide visual relief for flats overlooking MSCPs. Such rooftops also serve as green and recreational spaces for residents. Of the 23,000 dwelling units launched in 2023, fewer than 20 dwelling units directly face a bin centre. Bin centres in new HDB precincts are equipped with the pneumatic waste conveyance system for a cleaner and more efficient waste collection process. These bin centres are typically located at remote ends of HDB precincts and/or near public roads, with the entrances located away from flats. To further screen off these bin centres from surrounding blocks, HDB also incorporates additional greenery and planting where feasible.”
“To prepare Singapore for rising temperatures, the Government adopts a science-based and proactive heat mitigation and adaptation strategy. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) conducts environmental modelling for all new flats, including rental flats. This guides the siting of flats and design of building façades layouts to harness existing wind corridors and optimise wind flow. We also adopt strategies, such as orienting residential blocks in the North-South direction to reduce heat gain from solar radiation and maximise ventilation in flats and around the estate. Over the years, HDB has intensified our efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and create a better living environment for all our residents. Under the HDB Green Towns Programme, HDB is studying the application of cool coating on the façades of around 130 HDB sold and rental blocks. Previous trials indicate that this could potentially reduce the overall ambient temperature by up to 2°C. The learning points from the pilot will help HDB formulate its plans for the wider application of cool coatings in HDB towns. HDB is also introducing more greenery to the top decks of selected multi-storey car parks in HDB estates to mitigate heat gain. HDB is committed to building a sustainable and liveable environment for all our residents.”
“There is currently no local standard for intra-building soundproofing for residential developments. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) takes a holistic approach when designing flats to mitigate noise and to provide a pleasant living environment for residents. This includes factoring in acoustic insulation and soundproofing. For new flats located close to land traffic noise sources, such as major arterial roads and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) tracks, HDB carries out a Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) during the design consultancy stage to assess the potential noise impact on the new residential development. Based on the NIA, HDB puts in place the appropriate noise mitigation measures. For such flats, HDB has also introduced facade designs with overhangs or canopies to deflect and abate land transport noise transmission into the dwelling units. Within the flat, the internal partition walls are built of Severe Duty grade drywall system and are filled with sound insulation materials. These high-quality drywalls provide the acoustic insulation and performance suitable for residential use, comparable to concrete walls of similar thickness. New Build-To-Order projects launched since February 2023 are also built with thicker floor slabs, which help to further reduce noise and impact transmission. This is generally similar to the specifications for high-rise private residential developments. For high-rise private residential developments, the onus is on the developers to design their projects with proper structural sound attenuation to provide a pleasant living environment for residents.”
“There were about 370 households each in 2022 and 2023, where: (a) all buyers and their spouses in a flat purchase were aged 55 and above, (b) the household had owned private residential property at the time of the flat application or had disposed of one in the past 30 months, and (c) declared that they did not earn an income. These households bought new short-lease 2-room Flexi flats or Community Care Apartments, or non-subsidised resale flats.”
“Under section 58(9) of the Housing and Development Act, no trust may be created over a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat without HDB’s prior written approval. This is to prevent parties from making use of trusts to circumvent HDB’s rules. On a case-by-case basis, HDB may allow the creation of a trust over a HDB flat, such as in favour of a minor child beneficiary following the demise or divorce of the parents, or if the flat owners are mentally incapacitated. Where a trust is created for a minor child beneficiary, the flat must be transferred to the child once he/she reaches the eligibility age of 21 years old to own the flat. This is in pursuant to the Civil Law Act that a person must be of full age (that is, aged 21 and above) to have the capacity to enter into a contract for the sale, purchase, mortgage, assignment or settlement of any land, among others. Over the past five years, HDB has approved 99 requests for the creation of a trust over a HDB flat. Parents who plan to provide monies for their children to buy a HDB flat in return for living together, have the option to co-own the flat with their children, if they meet the prevailing eligibility conditions. This is a more direct way of protecting the parents’ interests in situations such as the breakdown of parent-child relations, so there is no need for parents to set up trusts for this purpose.”
“Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns are designed to be self-sufficient while ensuring easy access to a wide range of facilities, including commercial facilities, to the meet the needs of residents. Most HDB residents would generally be able to access a commercial facility within 400 metres from their homes, or a walk of five to 10 minutes. This is the same for residents of Jurong West Jewel, who are currently served by an eating house and a convenience store within a 400-metre radius. HDB is also building an eating house, a minimart, and shops at Jurong West Crystal, an upcoming Build-To-Order site adjacent to Jurong West Jewel. When completed, these new facilities will provide additional food and beverage and retail options for Jurong West Jewel residents. To better meet the needs of residents, HDB is assessing the market and technical viability of setting up vending machines for food and essential items at Jurong West Jewel. After HDB completes the technical assessment and identifies a suitable site, the site will be let out via an open tender. This ensures a fair and competitive selection process, in line with the approach taken for HDB’s other commercial properties.”
“In the context of our high-density environment and with Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats designed for natural ventilation, it is not possible to completely sound-proof a unit. The effectiveness of special glazed windows is also limited, as residents would need to close their windows to cut down noise, which would restrict natural ventilation. As such, HDB takes a holistic approach in designing HDB flats to mitigate noise. During the design consultancy stage for Jurong West Crystal, a Noise Impact Assessment was carried out to understand the noise impact of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) tracks nearby, to guide deployment of the appropriate noise mitigation measures to deflect and abate the transmission of noise into the flats. HDB has located the multi-storey car park to front the MRT track as a noise buffer, will build vertical fins along the building façade to reduce direct exposure to noise and will provide window restrictors within the flats. Collectively, these measures will minimise noise transmission and meet the National Environment Agency’s requirements for indoor noise, while keeping the flats naturally ventilated.”
“There are currently about 10,000 seniors staying in public rental housing that have the wireless Alert Alarm System (AAS) installed. These seniors can call for help during emergencies by pressing the alert buttons placed within their homes, which are linked to a 24/7 hotline that responds to callers in distress. As part of the Age Well SG programme, we will progressively expand the provision of this system to all seniors aged 60 and above staying in public rental housing. This will allow us to better care for these lower-income and vulnerable seniors who often lack family support. The expansion is expected to benefit around 26,800 more seniors staying in public rental housing. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) currently does not provide the wireless AAS to seniors staying in sold flats. The set up of an AAS involves not only the installation of the physical hardware like the alert buttons, but also ensuring that operators who are providing the round-the-clock response service have adequate resources to do so. The Ministry of National Development and HDB will continue to review the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme, including taking in feedback from seniors as well as healthcare sector stakeholders and professionals, to ensure that there is a suitable range of items offered under EASE to meet the needs of seniors.”
“However, these do not detract from the sustainability or technological viability of the CCS. HDB will continue to monitor the feedback on the CCS and support SP Group to ensure the smooth roll-out of CCS in Tengah.”
“Tengah Town is Singapore’s first smart and sustainable town, planned with green and sustainable features, and smart technologies. One such initiative is the development of a Centralised Cooling System (CCS) in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats in collaboration with the Singapore Power Group (SP Group). The CCS pilot at Tengah provides HDB homebuyers the option to subscribe to a more energy-efficient cooling solution, compared to conventional air-conditioning systems. The keys for the first few precincts of HDB flats in Tengah have been progressively handed over to residents since end August 2023. SP Group, as the provider of the CCS, undertakes the management of CCS sign-ups, as well as construction, installation, operations and maintenance of the CCS. As of end December 2023, about 2,500 of the households that have been informed to collect keys have signed up for the CCS. The Ministry of National Development and HDB are aware of feedback from some Tengah residents relating to water seepage and condensation, and SP Group has put in place a systematic reporting and rectification process to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. SP Group has also looked into other feedback received from residents about the CCS, and while it has resolved the majority of the defects, it is working closely with residents to address the remaining feedback. SP Group has also waived CCS charges for the whole of 2023 as a goodwill gesture, even as they work on addressing some of the CCS installation and user experience issues. SP Group is unable to share more details on its project operating costs. As we implement and pilot new systems at scale, like the CCS in Tengah, we can expect some teething issues to surface.”
“Over the past few years, the National Parks Board (NParks) has been ramping up its islandwide crow trapping efforts. In addition to deploying more crow traps, NParks has been enhancing trapping efficacy by designing new traps and targeting the deployment of the traps in sites with high crow densities and feeding activity. In 2023, the number of crows trapped across Singapore doubled compared to 2022. However, crow trapping alone is not sufficient to manage the crow population. NParks has also stepped up its other crow management efforts, such as to survey and remove crow nests in trees and to enforce against illegal bird feeding. These efforts have collectively helped to address the presence of crows in affected areas. Keeping the crow population under control requires a collective community effort on a sustained basis. As bird feeding and human-generated food sources are key drivers of crow population growth, we urge the community to avoid feeding birds and to keep our environment clean.”
“To prioritise the Housing and Development Board (HDB) housing loans for households who need them more, applicants have to meet the prevailing income ceiling to qualify. Currently, the monthly income ceiling for families is $14,000, which covers about eight in 10 Singaporean households. The income ceilings are $21,000 for extended families and $7,000 for singles purchasing flats under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme. On a case-by-case basis, HDB may exercise flexibility to grant the HDB housing loan to applicants whose monthly income exceeds the applicable income ceiling. In assessing appeals, HDB considers applicants’ individual circumstances, including whether they have other viable financing options. Those who require assistance can approach HDB. Those who are not eligible for an HDB housing loan may approach financial institutions regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore for housing loan and financing options.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) provides a one-year Defects Liability Period (DLP) to new flat owners from the date they collect their keys. For any defects reported during the one-year DLP, HDB will arrange for the building contractor to carry out the necessary repairs. As most defects would emerge within the first year, a one-year DLP is sufficient for the majority of new flat owners and is in line with the industry practice for private developments. In addition, HDB provides owners of all new flats launched from 2005 a five-year warranty for ceiling leaks and external wall seepage and a 10-year warranty for spalling concrete. Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance of their flats. Town Councils are responsible for the maintenance of the common properties, including external walls of HDB flats. Nonetheless, if a maintenance issue within the flat is reported to HDB after the DLP, HDB will investigate the likely cause and advise flat owners on the follow-up action based on the specific circumstances of each case. Should flat owners report defects that recur after the DLP, even though it was rectified during the DLP, HDB will carry out an investigation to determine the likely cause. If it is assessed to be due to an inherent defect or quality issue, HDB will recall the building contractor to rectify it at no cost to the flat owner. Should the flat owner raise any compensation claim, it will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. On the other hand, if it is assessed to be due to fair wear and tear or a lack of maintenance, the cost of repair will be borne by the party responsible for maintenance.”
“From 30 September 2022, current and former private residential property owners (PPOs) must wait out 15 months from the disposal of their private property before they are allowed to buy a non-subsidised resale flat. This is a temporary measure to moderate the demand for resale flats and ensure that resale flats remain affordable for flat buyers with greater housing needs. To support seniors' retirement needs, Singapore Citizens and their spouses aged 55 and above who are right-sizing from their private property to a 4-room or smaller resale HDB flat are exempted from the wait-out period. From 30 September 2022 to 31 December 2023, about 940 senior households have benefited from the exemption and right-sized to a 4-room or smaller resale HDB flat. They formed under 4% of all resale transactions for 4-room or smaller flats in the period. Given the small numbers, there is likely minimal impact by this group of seniors on the prices and resale volume of 4-room resale HDB flats. Similarly, we do not expect a spillover impact on the prices of 5-room resale HDB flats.”
“Over the past five years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received on average about 180 instances of feedback per year relating to nuisance caused by tenants renting HDB flats or bedrooms. This constitutes about 1.5% of the total volume of feedback on nuisance by neighbours. HDB does not track the proportion of feedback involving only foreign tenants. HDB flat owners are required to seek HDB's approval prior to renting out their flats or bedrooms. They must also comply with the terms and conditions, which include the requirement to conduct regular checks on their tenants to ensure that tenants do not cause a nuisance to neighbours. HDB may terminate the rental approval if flat owners fail to adhere to any of the conditions within the terms and conditions. Where friction arises between neighbours, including tenants, HDB adopts a mediative approach and advises flat owners and tenants to be mindful of causing disturbances to others. We have explained in a previous reply in January 2024 that the parties can also tap on Government initiatives, such as the inter-agency Community Dispute Management Framework and the Community Mediation Centre, to reach mutually acceptable solutions. [Please refer to "Rationale for and Impact of Increased Rental Occupancy Cap for HDB Units", Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Oral Answers to Questions section.] In a separate reply in January 2023, we also explained that the vast majority of such feedback on disamenities were resolved through this mediative approach. [Please refer to "Approvals to Flat Owners to Sublet Entire Property Rescinded due to Nuisance Caused by Tenants", Official Report, 10 January 2023, Vol 95, Issue 80, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Urban Redevelopment Authority will publish the Design Guidelines and Good Practice Guide for Creative Hoarding later this year.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will expedite and complete the U-turn facility along Upper Jurong Road by the third quarter of 2024. When completed, it will allow Jurong West Jewel residents to enter the development more conveniently from the westbound side of Upper Jurong Road. In the meantime, residents may continue to enter the development from the eastbound side of Upper Jurong Road.”
“Government procurement is governed by the principles of: (a) transparency; (b) open and fair competition; and (c) value for money. Contracts are awarded to tenderers who are best able to meet the tender requirements and who offer the best value. This is regardless of whether the firm is local or foreign. For construction tenders with project value of $3 million and above, Government agencies are required to use the Price Quality Method (PQM) to evaluate their tenders. Under the PQM, there is no scoring criterion that requires firms to have completed foreign projects. Firms are scored on their track record of having completed relevant projects – whether local and/or overseas. While the PQM sets out the standard parameters for the evaluation of public sector construction tenders, Government agencies have the discretion to set additional tender requirements or evaluation criteria to cater to the specific nature of their projects. If the Member has queries or concerns pertaining to a particular project, he may wish to provide the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) with details of the tender so that BCA can follow up.”
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all agencies and community partners who stepped forward to support the households at Blocks 29 and 31 at Lorong 5 Toa Payoh during the relocation exercise.”
“In 2021, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) started a relocation exercise involving 414 households living in public rental flats at Blocks 29 and 31 at Lorong 5 Toa Payoh. This exercise was part of the Government's plans to redevelop older estates to provide new and better homes and amenities for Singaporeans. To facilitate a smooth transition for the affected households, HDB formed a Care Team with representatives from various public agencies and community partners to support the tenants every step of the way. HDB officers also went door-to-door to engage tenants on their rehousing options and benefits; and set up on-site counters and a dedicated hotline to address queries. HDB's Care Team paid special attention to vulnerable groups, such as seniors, and offered them additional support. For example, volunteers were mobilised to help to move their belongings. HDB also worked with social service agencies to ensure continuity in the residents' care services and social assistance. To preserve community ties and allow the affected households to continue living in a familiar environment, HDB set aside vacant rental flats nearby for offer as replacement flats. Households were also given the option of choosing any available rental flat across the island. While many moved to flats nearby, some moved to other towns, mostly to be near their family members. Every household affected by the relocation received $2,500 in rehousing allowance to defray the cost of moving. To support home ownership, for those who were able to buy a flat, HDB offered them a Relocation Grant of $15,000 on top of other housing grants they were eligible for. All 414 households completed the relocation process by May 2023.”
“Based on Ministry of Manpower data, as of October 2023, most local small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry would not be affected by the reduced Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) from 1:7 to 1:5, as they were already operating within the reduced DRC of 1:5. The Government has implemented various measures over the years to smoothen the industry's transition to the reduced DRC. First, we gave firms almost two years to adjust to the reduced DRC by announcing the move in February 2022. Second, we mitigated disruption to existing operations, by allowing firms that exceeded the reduced DRC of 1:5 on 1 January 2024 to retain their workers who exceed the firm's DRC limit until their work passes expire. This applied to workers who were hired or had their work passes renewed before 1 January 2024. Third, we made moves to shift the construction industry towards more productive and less manpower-intensive building methods. For example, we required firms working on all large building projects – that is, projects with a gross floor area of 25,000 square metres and above – to adopt Design for Manufacturing and Assembly technologies from April 2022. This enables the shift of construction activities to offsite, factory-like settings that are safer and more productive. To facilitate the adoption of these technologies, we supported firms with co-funding schemes, like the Productivity Innovation Project. Taken together, these measures help firms to streamline their processes to operate within the reduced DRC. The Government will continue to partner the construction industry in its transformation journey.”
“As part of the property cooling measures introduced on 30 September 2022 to promote sustainable conditions in the property market, private residential property owners (PPOs) and ex-PPOs need to wait for a period of 15 months after the disposal of their properties, before buying a non-subsidised Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale flat. To support seniors' retirement needs, Singapore Citizens who are moving from their private property to a 4-room or smaller resale HDB flat are exempted from the wait-out period if both spouses are 55 years old and above. Between 30 September 2022 and 31 December 2023, HDB received about 3,470 appeals. After evaluating each appeal for waiver of the 15-month wait-out period based on the individual merits of each case, HDB acceded to about 850 appeals – or around 25% of appeals received. These were mostly cases involving (a) individuals who provided evidence that they had committed to sell their private residential property, or to buy an HDB resale flat, before 30 September 2022; or (b) those who were in financial difficulties or extenuating circumstances, with no alternative housing options.”
“The Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Housing and Development Board work closely to plan the supply and development of housing in Singapore. These plans ensure a good mix of public and private housing, including Executive Condominiums (ECs), as well as a wide range of supporting amenities to serve the needs of residents. In planning for the annual supply of ECs, the Government takes into consideration multiple factors, such as the existing unsold stock, take-up rate of new EC units, and prevailing market sentiment, among others. The supply of ECs made available through the Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme has steadily increased from 2021 to 2023. In 2023, the Government launched two sites on the Confirmed List yielding about 1,260 EC units, making it the largest supply in the last three years. For the 1H 2024 GLS Programme, there is one EC site on the Confirmed List yielding about 710 EC units. There are also two EC sites on the Reserve List yielding about 855 EC units, which developers can initiate for development if they assess that there is demand. The Government will continue to observe economic and property conditions closely and adjust the supply of future GLS Programmes, including EC sites, as necessary.”
“In most instances, flat owners and their renovation contractors have been able to take the appropriate measures to reduce inconvenience to their neighbours. HDB will continue to review its policies regularly, taking into consideration the impact renovation works have on residents.”
“Flat owners are required to engage a renovation contractor listed in the Housing and Development Board (HDB)’s Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC) and to obtain a renovation permit for renovation works that affect the structural integrity of the building or pose public safety concerns, such as the demolition of walls and the replacement of windows. For works which are less disruptive and do not pose potential public safety concerns, such as overlaying of floor tiles, installation of electrical wirings or carpentry works, HDB does not require flat owners or their appointed DRC contractors to obtain permits. The noise arising from these works is generally more transient in nature. Nonetheless, HDB has put in place certain measures to mitigate the potential dis-amenities arising from renovation works. For instance, DRC contractors are required to inform households within a radius of two flats of the unit being renovated of the work at least five days in advance, and to limit the conduct of noisy renovation activities, such as drilling works, to between 9.00am to 5.00pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays. These registered contractors are also required to abide by the time restrictions for other renovation works that are non-structural and hence not required to be included as part of their renovation permits. These measures aim to minimise inconvenience and give the immediate neighbours sufficient notice to make adjustments to their routines, where necessary. It is unavoidable, at times, that there will be some noise and dust generated when renovation works are carried out. Active communication and mutual respect between neighbours are key to resolving these temporary dis-amenities arising from renovation works.”
“The review on whether to establish a residential noise threshold is ongoing. The Municipal Services Office is partnering researchers from the Nanyang Technological University to determine if noise thresholds adopted elsewhere are relevant to the Singapore context and, if so, how they could be applied practically in regulation and dispute resolution. As I have previously updated the House, we plan to complete this review by the end of this year.”
“We should be mindful that there are different needs from various groups in our community. We need to adopt a give-and-take spirit and be willing to accommodate the needs of others, to build a more harmonious and inclusive community.”
“Common spaces in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, including recreational facilities like seating areas, game courts and pavilions, are managed and maintained by the Town Councils (TCs). In the past three years, there have been 27 instances in which TCs have temporarily closed recreational facilities or restricted their opening hours due to feedback from residents on disamenities such as noise nuisance. When TCs encounter persistent disruptive behaviour by inconsiderate users of recreational facilities, TCs would typically put up advisories at the facilities to educate these users. If the misuse persists, TCs would seek the assistance of grassroots leaders to jointly advise these users. As a last resort, TCs may restrict the use of the facilities at specific hours, by adjusting the timing of the lighting at the facilities or locking up the facilities at night. TCs may also seek the assistance of the Singapore Police Force and other relevant Government agencies such as the National Parks Board and National Environment Agency, if inconsiderate users persist with their disruptive behaviour. To encourage considerate use of common spaces, TCs have put up posters and published educational content on social media platforms and Digital Display Panels. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the People’s Association, the Singapore Kindness Movement, HDB and the Municipal Services Office also promote neighbourliness through various community events, campaigns and outreach. We encourage all members of the public to be considerate when using shared facilities in our estates. Our shared public spaces play a pivotal role in bringing residents from all walks of life together, and thus, help to build closer neighbourly ties.”
“For approved applicants under the Public Rental Scheme, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will expedite flat allocations for those with urgent housing needs, such as those who have medical conditions or are facing other exceptional circumstances. Applicants who require interim accommodation while waiting for their public rental flat may approach Family Service Centres or Social Service Offices for a referral to one of six Transitional Shelters funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development. These shelters provide temporary accommodation and onsite social work intervention. Persons in urgent need of accommodation can also call the MSF Hotline (1800-111-2222) for assistance.”
“HDB is currently finalising the selection of sites for the Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) Batch 8 that opened in November 2023 for shortlisted sites, in consultation with the relevant Merchant Associations (MAs). The relevant Town Councils and MAs will be informed of the results by March 2024. There are currently no plans to increase the ROS budget. In 2023, we increased HDB’s co-payment share for the main ROS upgrading cost from 70% to 85% to reduce the co-payment borne by shop owners from 20% to 5%. We also introduced additional funding support for optional works at the shopfront, for example installation of vertical blinds. We will continue to monitor the situation and review our schemes as needed.”
“Over the last three years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has ramped up the Build-To-Order (BTO) flat supply and is on track to launch 100,000 flats from 2021 to 2025. We plan to launch about 19,600 BTO flats this year. This commitment remains unchanged, regardless of the number of launches in a year. With the same number of BTO flats on offer, spread across three launches instead of four, homebuyers can look forward to a larger housing supply and a wider range of flat options at each BTO exercise. They may also face less competition and have a higher chance of success in securing a flat that meets their budget and needs. Moreover, spacing out the BTO launches will provide applicants with greater certainty, as it reduces the extent of overlap between flat selection exercises. As the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise consists of unsold flats from previous BTO exercises, the total yearly supply is much lower than BTO flats. However, due to the shorter waiting time of SBF flats, demand for SBF flats tends to be very high. By holding one SBF exercise a year, HDB can consolidate supply and offer homebuyers more options at each sales exercise, with a higher chance of success. To help home buyers, especially first-timers, move into their new homes and settle down quickly, HDB will launch about 2,800 BTO flats with shorter waiting time of less than three years, this year. HDB will also re-calibrate its building programme so that over time, such flats would form a larger proportion of BTO flat supply where possible. HDB will continue to closely monitor a range of different indicators, such as resale price levels and BTO flat application rates, to ensure that the public housing market remains stable and sustainable.”
“As at December 2023, there were about 223,000 registered tenants in the 110,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats that remain occupied by their owners but have bedrooms rented out. Of these registered tenants, 3% are Singaporeans, 56% are Malaysians and the remaining 41% are of other nationalities. The objective of the Non-Citizen (NC) Quota is to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves in HDB estates and maintain the Singaporean character of our HDB heartlands. Applications to rent out the whole flat to one or more non-Malaysian non-citizen tenants are subject to the block quota of 11% and the neighbourhood quota of 8%. The NC Quota does not apply to renting out of bedrooms in flats. Unlike whole flat rentals, owners renting out bedrooms continue to stay in their flats together with their tenants, which has some effect in reducing any sense of foreigner concentration in our HDB estates. Most of these owners are retirees and lower-income households who rely on rental collections to supplement their household income. We will continue to monitor the profile of tenants renting HDB flats and bedrooms on the open market to ensure that we maintain the Singaporean character of our HDB heartlands.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over two million urban trees in Singapore's parks, park connectors, state lands and along roads. From 2014 to 2023, NParks received an annual average of 87 claims for damages to property or personal injury caused by trees in these areas, of which about one-third of the claims resulted in payments. The payment amounts depend on the circumstances and merits of each case.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over two million urban trees in Singapore’s parks, park connectors, state lands and along roads. With the strengthening of NParks’ tree management regime over the years, the annual number of tree failure incidents has declined by 65% from 1,250 cases in 2014 to around 430 in 2023. These numbers exclude trees found in Town Council and private properties, as NParks does not manage these areas. NParks has a comprehensive tree management programme that includes a rigorous tree inspection and maintenance regime aligned with the best practices of the International Society of Arboriculture. Regular tree inspections are carried out by trained inspectors every six to 24 months, with trees that are close to areas with high pedestrian or traffic activity inspected more frequently. Upon receiving reports of trees with potential safety concerns, NParks will conduct tree risk assessments and take relevant risk mitigation actions where necessary. NParks will continue to review and adapt its tree management regime to incorporate best practices to minimise the risk of tree failures.”
“Around 74.5 square kilometres of land have been reclaimed from 2000 to June 2023. Since 2000, the cost of land reclamation projects has been charged to Past Reserves and the total cost of land reclamation projects completed during this period is around $13 billion. About 0.5 square kilometres of these reclaimed land have since been sold via Government Land Sales and the proceeds are around $462 million. As reclaimed land forms part of our Past Reserves, the proceeds from the sale of reclaimed land accrue back to the Past Reserves.”
“As of January 2024, over 1,900 community gardens have been set up across Singapore under the National Park Board (NParks') Community in Bloom programme, which aims to encourage gardening and community bonding. Community gardens are managed by volunteers, who oversee the management and programming of the gardens. Within housing estates, community gardens are managed by residents, with support from the Residents’ Networks under the People’s Association. There are also community gardens located within schools and organisations that are managed by these entities. NParks supports community gardeners by advising them on site selection, landscaping and plant selection and horticultural best practices. Community gardens serve as common spaces for people from different walks of life to come together, to bond over their shared interest in gardening. In addition, edible plants are grown in some community gardens and harvests can be shared with the community. There are also outreach and education programmes to promote the growing of edibles. Through such efforts, community gardens can raise awareness on food resilience and local produce and enhance community well-being and social resilience.”
“This question was addressed in the oral reply for Question Nos 10 to 14 delivered during the Parliament Sitting on 9 January 2024. [Please refer to "Rationale for and Impact of Increased Rental Occupancy Cap for HDB Units", Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Between 2018 and 2022, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received an average of 715 cases of feedback per year on air-conditioning related condensation. Upon receipt of the feedback, HDB will carry out inspection to determine the source of the condensation. One of the common causes of air-conditioner condensation includes the use of air conditioner at prolonged low temperature with the air outlet louvres set to non-oscillating mode. HDB will also advise both flat owners of the actions that they can take to resolve the issue, such as setting the louvres to oscillating mode to minimise the concentration of cold air at a particular location and for the affected flat owners to keep their units well-ventilated to minimise mould growth. It would not be appropriate for HDB to regulate home owners’ usage of air conditioning. Instead, HDB plays an advisory role and will encourage parties to practise mutual respect and neighbourliness. If warranted, HDB may advise the parties to seek mediation at the Community Mediation Centre, which will guide the neighbours to have a better appreciation of the issue and the impact of their behaviour on the other party. As a last resort, the aggrieved parties may also file a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal.”
“The Government is committed to helping Singaporeans, particularly first-timers and lower to middle-income families, own a home. On top of providing significant market discounts in pricing new flats, we offer generous housing grants to further support first-timer home buyers. For example, eligible first-timer families may receive up to $80,000 of Enhanced Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant (EHG) when they buy a new or resale flat. The EHG amount is tiered by household income, to provide more support for those with lower household income. To qualify for the EHG, at least one member of the core family nucleus must be in continuous employment for at least 12 months, amongst other conditions. The 12-month continuous employment condition provides a good proxy of a household’s financial situation, so that the corresponding means-tested grant amount can be determined fairly. The majority of flat buyers are able to meet the continuous employment condition at the point of application for the Housing and Development Board (HDB) Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. For eligible young couples comprising full-time students or National Servicemen, as well as those who have recently completed their studies or National Service, who may face difficulties meeting the continuous employment condition at the point of application for an HFE letter, they may still apply for an HFE letter first, while the assessment of their income for the EHG and HDB housing loan is deferred closer to key collection. Other flat buyers who face difficulties in meeting the condition at the point of application for an HFE letter can approach HDB for advice. We will continue to monitor flat buyers’ needs and review our policies where necessary.”
“All of us can play our part to keep the pigeon population under control and safeguard public health and safety, by not feeding pigeons and keeping our environment clean.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) follows up on feedback received on pigeon feeding by investigating, engaging, or taking enforcement action against the feeder, and closes the loop with the feedback provider on actions taken. Nonetheless, some cases are intractable, involving repeat offenders. For such cases, NParks works with the Town Councils, Municipal Services Office (MSO), People’s Association and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to try to understand the offenders’ motivations to find solutions to discourage them from continuing to feed pigeons. For example, NParks may offer some feeders nature-based activities as alternatives to pigeon feeding, such as community gardening and bird-watching. For feeders with mental health needs, AIC will link them up with agencies to provide counselling or other forms of support. NParks also works with agencies and Town Councils to deploy closed-circuit television cameras and conducts human surveillance at identified feeding hotspots, as part of its enforcement efforts against pigeon feeding. However, this is not always effective, as there may be blind spots or feeders may wear masks or caps that hinder identification. Feedback providers are therefore strongly encouraged to provide detailed information and evidence of the feeding activity, to help NParks identify feeders. To manage the pigeon population, NParks undertakes the culling of pigeons in a sustainable and humane manner, in line with international standards, and encourages Town Councils to do the same. NParks will also continue to work with agencies and Town Councils on upstream measures to control the pigeon population, such as food source reduction, roosting and nesting sites exclusion, and engaging the community on the negative impacts of illegal bird-feeding.”
“Enforcement action can already be taken under the Environmental Public Health Act for irresponsible cat feeding that results in littering. To promote the responsible feeding of community cats, the National Parks Board (NParks) works with stakeholders such as the National Environment Agency, Town Councils, animal welfare groups and community cat caregivers to encourage caregivers to clear leftover food, water and containers in a timely manner. NParks also plans to work with stakeholders to develop guidelines for responsible community cat caregiving. These guidelines may cover appropriate locations to feed community cats, to reduce disamenities at high-traffic areas such as lift lobbies and staircases. NParks will continue to work with its partners to take a holistic and science-based approach to sustainably manage the community cat population, such as through the Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme.”
“Through the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) pilot, we seek to provide more housing options for low-income singles under the Public Rental Scheme. We also want to improve the living experience of public rental tenants by giving them greater privacy while providing companionship and support. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is in the process of appointing the operator for the SRSF pilot at the former Anderson Junior College hostel. After the operator is appointed, HDB will open applications for the pilot. We expect the first batch of successful applicants to move in around 3Q 2024.”