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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“The Master Developer approach can be considered for larger Government Land Sales sites with mixed uses, where there are benefits to giving a single developer greater flexibility to comprehensively plan and develop the site. For such sites, the Government will adopt a Master Developer approach where it supports the planning outcomes for the area, such as the plan for a car-lite precinct at Kampong Bugis. There are no plans to adopt a Master Developer approach for Holland Plain and Bayshore. The development staging plans for Kampong Bugis are still under review and launch dates for the three sites will be shared when ready.”
“In fact, HDB has been providing these comparative information and affordability illustrations since December 2008. The information is made available is to guide homebuyers in their flat purchase decisions and help them choose an HDB flat that best meets their budgets and needs.”
“As the locations and attributes of BTO projects and the resale market conditions at each BTO launch, are different, the extent of the discounts will thus vary across different BTO projects, launches and years. This is the case because HDB's overriding objective is to ensure that BTO flats remain affordable and help protect homebuyers from price fluctuations under different market conditions. In addition, eligible first-timer flat buyers can enjoy the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) of up to $80,000. The EHG is means-tested and calibrated progressively by household income, providing more support to lower- and middle-income families buying their first home. It is not tied to flat type or BTO project and it is given on top of the generous market discount applied to the flat. In sum, market subsidies vary across projects and launches because of the wide range of HDB flats on offer at every BTO sales exercise. They also vary with the prevailing resale market conditions and depend on the homebuyers' household incomes after factoring in the EHG. For each BTO project launched, HDB provides recent transacted prices of comparable resale flats alongside the BTO flat prices. It is clear to every BTO flat applicant that there is a significant difference between HDB BTO flat prices and comparable resale flat prices. The difference in these price ranges also explains why BTO flats are highly popular and usually over-subscribed. HDB also provides relevant price-related information for different family archetypes as well as worked illustrations of how homebuyers with different household incomes can afford the different flat types in the BTO launch materials. We also compute their corresponding MSRs to show the affordability of these new BTO flats.”
“In pricing new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, HDB's overriding aim is to ensure public housing is affordable to help a broad segment of Singaporeans own their own homes. This is different from private residential development where new flats are priced above development cost to achieve a certain profit margin. This flat pricing process is separate and independent from the determination of the development cost of HDB projects. Overall, the money that HDB collects from selling new flats cannot cover the total development cost incurred for these flats and HDB has been running a deficit every year for its homeownership programme since its formation. Affordability is a function of household income and flat selling price. At the current income ceiling of $14,000, about eight in 10 Singaporeans may buy a BTO flat and HDB aims to provide affordable flats for a range of household incomes, as measured by the Mortgage Servicing ratio (MSR). BTO flats have been priced at a level where on average, first-time homebuyers generally require little or no cash outlay when servicing their mortgage payments, as it can be fully covered using their CPF contributions. HDB first establishes the market value of the new flats by considering the prices of comparable resale flats nearby, as well as the individual attributes of the flats and prevailing market conditions. A significant subsidy is then applied to the assessed market values of the new flats to ensure affordability for flat buyers. A wide range of flat sizes and locations of new BTO flats are offered at every BTO sales launch. The market values of these flats are not the same and the flats should not be uniformly-priced.”
“The amount of CPF monies that flat buyers can use for their flat purchase, the HDB housing loan quantum and the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) quantum, are dependent on the remaining lease of the flat and the age of the youngest flat buyer. If the remaining lease of the flat can cover the youngest buyer until at least the age of 95, the flat buyers can obtain the maximum CPF usage, HDB housing loan quantum and EHG quantum that they are eligible for. Flat buyers who do not meet this criterion will still be able to use their CPF monies, take an HDB housing loan and receive the EHG, but the amounts would be pro-rated. In each year between 2011 and 2021, the proportion of resale flat transactions where the youngest owner would be below age 95 upon lease expiry was between 5.8% and 8.9%. The proportion of resale flat transactions where the youngest owner would be below age 85 upon lease expiry was between 0.5% and 1.2%. Over the same period, between 40% and 62% of households with buyers below the age of 35 bought BTO flats. Among the remaining households who bought resale flats, between 94% and 97%, were for resale flats with more than 60 years of lease remaining.”
“Since its introduction in 1990, the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment has undergone regular reviews, with its scope progressively expanded to better meet the changing needs of the population. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has consulted stakeholders extensively in this process. In the most recent review to develop the latest version of the Code in 2019, BCA formed a Code Review Committee, comprising representatives from social service agencies, trade associations and chambers, academia and Government agencies. The Committee consulted a wide range of stakeholders, including industry professionals and members of the public, and studied the needs of various segments of society and requirements in other jurisdictions. A draft version of the Code was also published for public consultation via the BCA and REACH websites. The next review of the Code will commence next year. BCA will continue to consult various stakeholders extensively when reviewing the Code, to ensure that the needs of user groups such as persons with disabilities, seniors and nursing mothers are taken into account.”
“Government agencies are piloting such an approach of aggregating different municipal works and contracting a single operator to perform these works. Since February 2022, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) has worked with NEA, LTA, PUB, HDB and NParks to integrate a number of related municipal services, namely, cleaning, infrastructure maintenance, greenery maintenance and other municipal service operations, under one integrated operator, in Tampines town. The intent is to enhance responsiveness of service delivery. With clear accountability and a system of outcome-based contracting, the single operator is incentivized to find solutions to pre-empt or resolve recurring problems, even if the issues cut across agency boundaries. The ground crew of the operator is also crossed-trained to respond to different issues, in order to achieve greater productivity. The pilot has commenced for less than a year. We will continue to learn from this pilot before considering further scaling up this integrated approach to municipal service delivery.”
“NParks preserves and enhances Singapore’s mangrove ecosystems in several ways, to strengthen our climate and ecological resilience. Under the OneMillionTrees movement, we partner the community to plant mangrove saplings in suitable coastal areas. For example, to date, we have planted close to 770 mangrove saplings in Pulau Ubin and we aim to plant 2,000 saplings there by 2029. We also carry out other mangrove restoration and enhancement efforts. For example, we have constructed rock revetments along the coasts of Pulau Tekong and Kranji Coastal Nature Park. These structures protect our coastlines against erosion and facilitate the accumulation of sediments, which in turn promotes the natural growth of mangroves. In addition, through the use of the science-based Ecological Mangrove Restoration method, around 8,000 mangrove plants are expected to naturally take root at Sungei Durian on Pulau Ubin by end-2026. Such efforts to promote the natural propagation of mangrove plants further support our mangrove ecosystems, beyond the planting of saplings under the OneMillionTrees movement. NParks will continue to conduct regular research and monitoring of our mangrove habitats to inform our strategies to enhance their resilience.”
“NParks will pilot centralising the management of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) consultancy services, starting with new HDB and JTC projects from early 2023. This allows NParks to work closely with EIA consultants to enhance standards across the industry and develop best practices. The consolidation of information on Singapore’s biodiversity under one agency, will also help long-term monitoring and research, as well as the assessment of cumulative impact across developments. Developing agencies will continue to be closely involved in the EIA process. This includes working with NParks upfront to refine the development plans, based on the EIA findings and feedback received from stakeholders, such as the nature community, and to develop and implement the necessary monitoring and mitigation measures.”
“As part of the Nature Conservation Masterplan, NParks conducts regular surveys to monitor the health of our habitats and the biodiversity they support, including marine animals such as dugongs. To better detect the presence and prevalence of dugongs and other marine animals within our waters, NParks is working with researchers to pilot several remote monitoring methods, such as the use of environmental DNA and acoustic monitoring. Since 2007, NParks has also been working with volunteers to monitor the health and extent of seagrass meadows near Singapore’s coast. We have also collaborated with industry and academia on research to better understand seagrass dispersal patterns, their resilience to environmental stressors such as changes in light availability, and their potential for restoration. Such research informs our efforts to conserve and enhance Singapore’s seagrass habitats, and contributes to the identification of core coastal habitats as part of NParks’ Ecological Profiling Exercise. We will continue to take a science-based approach to safeguard Singapore’s marine biodiversity, including further research to better document and understand our diverse marine habitats and wildlife.”
“This has helped to smoothen the application process and provided more certainty to flat applicants on the estimated waiting time before they can submit their online applications. As part of HDB’s continuous improvement towards better service delivery, HDB welcomes public feedback on the user experience for the services and information provided. We would be glad to take in useful suggestions from the public to ensure a good service experience for all.”
“HDB strives to provide relevant and timely information to would-be flat buyers, so that they can make informed decisions when applying for a flat in the sales exercises. HDB provides a range of e-services on their website. These e-services help flat applicants check their eligibility to buy an HDB flat and estimate their housing budget, based on details they provide, before they apply for a flat. For each Build-To-Order (BTO) sales launch, HDB also provides the indicative prices and details of the projects on the HDB Flat Portal, as well as resale market comparables, to help applicants make a considered decision on the project they could, and wish to, apply for. Throughout the application period, HDB also provides regular updates on the flat application rates for each BTO project. We encourage flat applicants to refer to the information and apply for a project with a lower application rate to improve their chances of securing a flat. Based on past launches, about 40% of invited flat applicants do not proceed to book a flat. Therefore, an application rate of not more than 1.7 times would give flat applicants a good chance of securing a flat. We wish to assure the Member that HDB regularly reviews and improves its systems, to enhance user experience. For instance, for the November 2022 sales launch, HDB rolled out a virtual waiting room feature on the flat application webpage. Should there be many applicants accessing the system at once, applicants will be directed to the virtual waiting room and given a real-time indication of how long they would need to wait before proceeding to the next step of their application.”
“HDB publishes median rental figures on the HDB InfoWEB. Median rentals are a better indication of open market rental price trends, as average rentals could be affected by outliers. The median rentals by town and flat type in the third quarter of 2019 to 2022 are given in Table 1. From the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2022, there has been an increase in the median rentals for all flat types across towns, ranging from $300 to $1,150.”
“HDB resale flat transactions are conducted on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis, with prices negotiated and mutually agreed upon between flat sellers and buyers. The transacted prices of resale flats for the last 12 months are published on the HDB InfoWEB to guide potential sellers and buyers. After a resale price has been agreed upon, the flat sellers will grant an option to purchase (OTP) to the buyers. If the buyers wish to use their CPF savings or a housing loan to pay for the flat purchase, they will need to make a Request for Value to HDB. Cash-over-valuation (COV) arises when the resale price is higher than the market valuation of the flat, as the difference can only be paid in cash. Otherwise, there is no COV. Buyers can decide whether to exercise the OTP for the resale transaction depending on the valuation and any COV payable. Should they choose not to proceed with the transaction, buyers will forgo the option fee of between $1 and $1,000 paid to the seller. Around one in four resale flat buyers in 2022, up to October, paid a COV. This is an increase from 2020 where around one in five resale flat buyers paid a COV, but an improvement from 2021 where around one in three paid a COV. The majority of buyers did not have to pay any COV. For each flat type, the 25th percentile and median COV across all towns was $0. The 75th percentile COV ranged from $5,000 to $38,000.”
“The prices of BTO flats in mature estates offered in the first nine months of 2022 are tabulated in Table 1 below. While the prices of BTO flats in mature estates are, generally, higher compared to non-mature estates, this is largely attributable to the attractive geographical attributes, for example, proximity to city centre, and proximity to key amenities, for example, key transport nodes and major retail establishments. HDB provides significant subsidies and grants, so that Singaporeans can consider them as options alongside other affordable flats offered in non-mature estates. Over the same period, among flat buyers who purchased BTO flats in mature estates and collected their keys, more than 80% of them had a mortgage servicing ratio (MSR) of 25% or lower for their HDB loans. This means that these flat buyers can service their HDB loans using their monthly CPF contributions, with little or no cash outlay. This value is significantly lower than the international benchmark of 30% to 35%. The house price-to-income ratios (HPIs) over the same period for the majority of the buyers (more than 70%) was below five. This is considerably lower than other comparable cities, such as London, Los Angeles and Sydney, where the HPIs are between eight to 15 times. In Hong Kong, it is more than 20 times.”
“On 2 September 2022, a landslide occurred at the Clementi NorthArc Build-To-Order construction site. This was caused by slope failure, which refers to the sudden collapse of a slope due to changes in soil strength or the destabilisation of the slope. After the incident, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) had inspected the surrounding buildings and found them to be structurally sound. BCA is, currently, investigating the cause of the incident and whether there have been any contraventions of the Building Control Act and Regulations. BCA will consider the appropriate enforcement action after the investigations have been completed. Agencies that manage public land carry out regular inspections on slopes that may pose a risk to public safety and implement appropriate mitigation measures to stabilise the slopes as needed. This includes slopes that are near park connectors adjacent to large drains, canals or rivers. Our agencies may also step up inspection frequency during periods of intense wet weather.”
“The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) provides an additional temporary housing option for households awaiting key collection for their new HDB flats. In other words, it is open to households who have been successful in booking a flat and are awaiting flat completion. PPHS is open for application once every two months. Eligible applicants are put through a ballot and those shortlisted via the ballot are invited to select a flat and sign the tenancy agreement in the month following their application. They will collect the keys to the PPHS flat at the same time and can move in immediately.”
“A married couple who had purchased their first HDB BTO but subsequently annulled their marriage would no longer be eligible for any housing grants they received for the flat purchase and will thus need to return them to HDB. They may also have to surrender the flat to HDB at the prevailing compensation price. Thereafter, the owners will not be treated as having enjoyed a housing subsidy and will each still be considered first-timers for their next HDB flat purchase. Individuals who are seeking an annulment of marriage or who have annulled their marriage may approach HDB if they require further assistance or advice on their housing options.”
“To assist elderly residents or residents with mobility issues residing in HDB flats undergoing Home Improvement Programme (HIP) works, toilets within the flat could be upgraded individually to keep at least one toilet available for use. Workers can also assist residents when they move from their flats to the designated rest areas or temporary toilets located in the void deck, by guiding them to these areas and helping those with mobility issues or on wheelchairs. Under HIP arrangements today, the HIP schedule could be adjusted to provide buffer time for residents to arrange to stay with their relatives or friends during the upgrading period. HDB also assists residents in sourcing for temporary accommodation in public rental flats on a case-by-case basis. Eligible elderly residents with high care needs may approach the Agency for Integrated Care for referral to the subsidised Nursing Home Respite Care service, which provides temporary residential stay and care in a nursing home.”
“Divorced parents with shared care and control of their child(ren) have an equal right to list their child(ren) in their application to buy or rent an HDB flat. As any individual is only allowed to be listed in one HDB flat application, we require such divorced parents to come to an agreement before either party lists their child(ren) in a flat application. Those who are unable to reach an agreement with their ex-spouse can approach HDB to discuss their options. From January 2018 to October 2022, HDB received 24 appeals from divorcees who were unable to obtain their ex-spouse's consent to list their child(ren) in a flat application. HDB will review each case and is prepared to exercise flexibility based on individual circumstances, to ensure that both parties have options to provide housing for themselves and their child(ren). HDB may also advise them to approach a Family Service Centre (FSC) for assistance, where needed.”
“For the same reason, the subsidy recovery rate would not vary even if there is a greater-than-expected price appreciation by the time PLH flats exceed their minimum occupation period. The PLH owner would still have to pay 6% of the resale price or valuation, but, by the same token, the PLH flat owner would also get the benefit of the 94% of the greater-than-expected price appreciation. The subsidy recovery rate is made known to all flat buyers during HDB’s sales launches. PLH flat owners who do not sell their flat will not be required to pay the subsidy recovery rate. Overall, the PLH model seeks to support Singaporeans’ home ownership aspirations. It offers more than just the additional subsidies, as it gives Singaporeans the chance to live in and enjoy the benefits of prime, central locations. We will continue to review the PLH model, including the extent of additional subsidies and the subsidy recovery rate, to ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible to a wide range of Singaporeans.”
“The Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model ensures that new public housing built in prime, central locations will remain affordable, accessible and inclusive for Singaporeans. Left solely to market forces, housing in prime locations would be out of reach for many, given their attractive locations and attributes, and corresponding higher prices, and it is likely that only the better-off would be able to afford them. To ensure that these flats remain affordable for a wide range of Singaporeans, flats offered under the PLH model are priced with additional subsidies, on top of the substantial subsidies already provided for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats today. As a result of these additional subsidies, PLH flat owners benefit from the opportunity to enjoy an uplift from the price appreciation of these flats when they are sold on the open market, which is typically much higher than other BTO flats in non-prime areas. To mitigate these windfall gains and to ensure equity with other BTO flat owners who are not accorded the additional subsidies, PLH flat owners who choose to sell their flats will have to return to HDB a percentage of the resale price or the valuation of the flat upon the sale of their homes, whichever is the higher. For the 10 PLH projects launched thus far, the subsidy recovery rate is fixed at 6%. The subsidy recovery rate, therefore, does not equate to the amount of the additional subsidy. Rather, the subsidy recovery rate is imposed on a percentage basis to ensure that PLH flat buyers do not have disproportionately higher gains upon the sale of the flat than BTO flat buyers. As HDB does not recover an amount equal to the additional subsidy, the question of whether it seeks to recover nominal or inflation-adjusted subsidies does not arise.”
“From 2019 to 2021, HDB received about 90 appeals per year from HDB homeowners to refinance their housing loans from financial institutions (FIs) to HDB. The appeals were not acceded to, as HDB does not allow the refinancing of housing loans from FIs to HDB. HDB offers the HDB concessionary loans to eligible flat buyers, particularly lower-income groups, to support them in their home ownership aspirations. Flat buyers who have better financial means can approach FIs for a housing loan. Given HDB’s focus on supporting Singaporeans’ home ownership aspirations, HDB does not seek to compete with FIs in the mortgage financing market, as doing so may dilute the market share of FIs and reduce their willingness to provide mortgage financing for future flat purchases. This may lead to a reduction in financing options available to HDB flat buyers. We fully understand that some HDB flat owners may be anxious about the current economic outlook and their ability to service their existing housing loan. For HDB home owners who have housing loans from FIs and are facing difficulties servicing the loans, we encourage them to approach their lenders early to explore solutions. MND, HDB, MOM and MAS have worked with FIs to establish a standardised workflow to assist such HDB flat owners in distress. This includes working with flat owners on potential loan restructuring solutions, referring them to HDB and social service agencies for assistance, and, where foreclosures are unavoidable, working with flat owners to source for their next accommodation. HDB will continue to focus on its core mission of providing affordable and accessible public housing for Singaporeans.”
“We are carefully studying the development plans for this area, which is a prime location at the heart of the city and along the waterfront. This includes exploring the possibility of a new bridge to enhance connectivity between the Bay East Garden and Bay South Garden as part of the Bay East Garden development project, as well as the plan for the bridge between the Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden which is still undergoing studies.”
“For ROH 4, there is a greater emphasis on public engagement and co-creation, as residents play a key role in the makeover of their towns. We have engaged residents at more stages, including at the early planning stage, to better understand what residents value about their towns and what improvements would benefit them most. HDB conducted an online survey from March to April 2020 to gather residents’ aspirations and ideas to rejuvenate their towns. Subsequently, two rounds of online Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in 2020 and 2021. To reach out to older residents in Bukit Merah and Queenstown, HDB also carried out physical engagements in May and July this year. Participants gave constructive feedback over a variety of issues, including matters relating to general infrastructure, facilities and services as well as prominent monuments and upcoming developments in each town. Based on the feedback received, HDB has been working closely with the relevant agencies to develop the plans for the ROH 4 towns. More details on the rejuvenation plans will be announced when ready. We are committed to proceeding with the ROH 4 plans, notwithstanding the deficits incurred by HDB, to ramp up the supply of public housing. However, the Government will need to manage within the tight fiscal space by prioritising between different spending needs and ensuring the cost effectiveness of our spending for fiscal sustainability.”
“The Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme aims to provide a comprehensive rejuvenation blueprint for existing HDB towns and estates, so as to keep them sustainable and vibrant. It brings multiple agencies together to develop customised plans that suit the needs of each town. ROH plans could include the upgrading of the Town Centres, Neighbourhood Centres and parks, building of new communal spaces and improvements to connectivity networks. Since the launch of the programme in 2007, we have selected 13 towns and estates for comprehensive rejuvenation under ROH. For the first two ROH batches covering Punggol, Dawson and Yishun under ROH 1 and East Coast, Hougang and Jurong Lake under ROH 2, most of the key plans and proposals have since been completed. The proposals for the third batch of ROH in Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris, are currently at various stages of implementation. Where possible, HDB will jointly develop public spaces with residents and local interest groups. For example, between 2020 to 2022, HDB engaged over 5,800 residents and community stakeholders via surveys and workshops on their suggestions for the upgrading of 10 neighbourhood parks under ROH 3. Works for these parks will commence progressively from 1Q2023. Other works, such as the upgrading of Neighbourhood Centres, will complete progressively from 4Q2023 and residents can look forward to new multi-generational facilities, more shaded areas and enhanced greenery. When completed, the ROH 3 works in Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris will benefit more than half a million residents living in the towns. In March 2020, we announced that four more towns, Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Choa Chu Kang and Queenstown, will be rejuvenated under ROH Batch 4.”
“Subsidies for HDB upgrading programmes are only extended to Singapore Citizen households. At the point of polling for HDB’s upgrading programmes, including the Home Improvement Programme, Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) households are informed that they will have to pay the full upgrading cost billed to them upon completion of the upgrading works, but they can submit a claim for the upgrading subsidy if any of the flat co-owners becomes a Singapore Citizen within one year from the date of billing. Appeals for the reimbursement of the upgrading subsidy from SPR households who had obtained Singapore Citizenship more than one year after the date of billing will be considered on a case-by-case basis.”
“HDB adopts a comprehensive approach in planning new flat supply, taking into account demographic and socioeconomic trends, prevailing market conditions and the supply of resale flats on the open market. Over the past 20 years, the total number of HDB dwelling units has increased by 1.2% per year from about 850,000 in 2001 to about 1.10 million in 2021. The number of residents living in HDB flats grew by around 0.5% per year, from 2,812,400 in 2001 to 3,091,000 in 2021. Over the same period, the number of HDB dwelling units increased by 29%, while the number of residents living in HDB flats increased by 10%. The average household size among resident households living in HDB flats shrank from 3.57 to 3.09. For the near future, we expect housing demand to be robust due to strong household formation and societal trends towards smaller households. To meet this demand, HDB is on track to launch up to 23,000 flats per year in 2022 and 2023, a 35% increase from 2021. In doing so, HDB provides flats of different sizes and types within the constraint of Singapore’s very limited land. Non-citizens renting HDB flats account for a very small proportion of the stock of HDB flats. In 2014, the non-citizen quota for subletting of flats was implemented to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves and to maintain the Singaporean character of our HDB heartlands.”
“Based on the flat owners’ declaration in the applications, the median of the highest rents for each month in the year, after accounting for outliers, for various HDB flat types in 2010 has ranged from $1,150 to $2,100 in non-mature estates and $1,100 to $2,200 in mature estates. In 2022, it has ranged from $1,700 to $2,600 in non-mature estates and $1,350 to $2,800 in mature estates. There is no rental data for flats under the Prime Location Public Housing model as such flats were only launched for sale in November 2021 and are still under construction.”
“A Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO) is a sentencing option for offenders who suffer from psychiatric conditions which contributed to their commission of the offence, provided that certain conditions are met. There have been cases of animal cruelty and abuse in which the offender was issued an MTO. Ultimately, the Courts will decide whether an MTO is the appropriate sentence for each case.”
“Since 12 January 2013, Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) flat owners have been disallowed from renting out their whole flat. However, those who own a 3-room or larger flat are allowed to rent out their spare bedrooms. The owners and all authorised occupiers must continue to stay in the flat with the tenants while the spare bedrooms are being rented out. From 1 May 2018, all flat owners have been required to seek HDB’s approval for bedroom rental before the commencement of the tenancy. This is to ensure that the eligibility conditions are met before the tenancy commences. There has been no change to the approval requirements since. We understand that the Member is asking about the decline in bedroom rental approvals given to SPR households from 2018 to date, reflected in our written reply to the Member’s question for the Sitting on 20 October 2022. The figures provided reflect the number of new bedroom rental approvals granted to SPR households in each year and do not include SPR households which renew their bedroom rentals. The decline in the new bedroom rental approvals given to SPR flat owners could be due to various reasons, such as open market forces or personal choices of the SPR flat owners.”
“Between 2010 and 2021, there was an average of about 35,000 to 60,000 flats that were rented out annually. These are flats owned by Singaporeans, since households made up of only Singapore Permanent Resident owners are not permitted to rent out their flats. Less than 10% of the HDB flat owners who rented out their flats are residing overseas, with such individuals likely being abroad for work or study reasons.”
“We have responded to Mr Leong Mun Wai’s question about HDB flat owners who concurrently own private properties and rent out their flat or bedrooms, in our response to Mr Gerald Giam’s question during the Parliamentary Sitting on 7 November 2022. [Please refer to "HDB Flat Lessees Who Concurrently Own One or More Private Residential Properties", Official Report, 7 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 73, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Non-Citizen (NC) quota for renting out of flats was implemented to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves and to maintain the Singaporean character of our Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands. Over the last five years, HDB received an average of around 500 appeals for the waiver of NC quota annually. These appeals were received from across all HDB towns. Requests for waiver of the NC quota are considered on a case-by-case basis, and around one in five of the appeals received were acceded to.”
“The development and land reclamation works at Pedra Branca, which commenced in September 2021, are for infrastructural upgrades to enable our maritime security agencies to safely and effectively detect and respond to incidents, and carry out search and rescue operations in the area. This will strengthen Singapore's ability to contribute to maritime safety and security in the area as a responsible member of the international community. The works are also needed to improve the safety and conditions for our personnel deployed at Pedra Branca, who perform critical roles in safeguarding maritime safety and security. The total cost of the works is being reviewed in light of prevailing cost norms.”
“In 2021, about 6% of the rental households that renewed their tenancy experienced a rent increase. In the preceding five years – that is, 2016 to 2020 – the corresponding figure was 15%. From 2017 to 2021, among the households that experienced rent increases, 85% experienced a rent increase of $200 or less. The range of rent increase is from $5 to around $1,000. There were a handful of households that were charged market rents as their financial situation had improved significantly, and they were assessed to be able to afford other housing options but remained in rental housing on an exceptional basis. Rents are only reviewed during tenancy renewal, once every two to three years. Tenants will not experience any rent increases during their tenancy term, even if their incomes increase. On the other hand, tenants may request for a rent reduction at any time, if their incomes decrease during the tenancy term. At tenancy renewal, the rent payable is assessed based on a progressively tiered rent structure. Rents may increase only when household incomes cross certain income thresholds and these income thresholds are several hundred dollars apart. Before increasing rents, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will consider other factors, such as household size, and will ensure that any rent increase is significantly lower than the income increase. From 2012 to 2021, 38 rental households that moved on to home ownership subsequently moved back into public rental housing, after an average of six years. Over the same period, a total of 7,500 rental households moved on to home ownership.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not collect and monitor data on complaints received on residential rental discrimination by age or race, as the rental of residential properties in the open market is a private agreement between the property owner and the tenant. HDB is not a party to the tenancy agreement signed between the landlord and the tenant. Members of the public can lodge a complaint with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) if they come across any potentially offensive or discriminatory advertisements by property agents. CEA's regulatory guidelines require property agents to be sensitive to the multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural nature of Singapore's society. Property agents who fail to comply with these guidelines can be issued a written warning or be subjected to disciplinary action, which may result in financial penalties, suspension or revocation of their licence or registration. Should there be disputes between the flat owners and tenants, the party can seek legal recourse with their own solicitor.”
“The current average waiting time for a public rental flat is about seven months for Chinese applicants, eight months for Malay applicants and seven months for Indian/Other applicants. This is comparable to the waiting time in 2012 at six months, eight months and seven months for the respective ethnic groups. Currently, of about 51,900 public rental tenants, 51% are Chinese, 35% are Malays and 14% are Indian/Others. In 2012, of about 47,900 public rental tenants, 61% were Chinese, 27% were Malay and 13% were Indian/Others. Currently, about 70% of the Housing and Development Board (HDB)'s public rental blocks have reached the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) block limit for at least one ethnic group, compared to about 60% in 2012. Where needed, HDB exercises administrative flexibility within reasonable bounds to allocate public rental flats to low-income households who have no other housing options and avoid prolonging the waiting time for them.”
“In the last five years from 2017 to 2021, the proportion of resale flats in each year bought by buyers who were private property owners was about 7% to 11% of the total resale transactions registered. This includes those who had sold their private property up to 15 months before their resale flat application. As mentioned in the combined reply to Mr Alex Yam Ziming, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Mr Saktiandi Supaat for the 20 October 2022 Sitting, this number has doubled in 2021 and the first three quarters of 2022, as compared to 2019 and 2020. The median resale prices for transactions in 2017 to 2021 that involved buyers who were private property owners are tabulated below. The median cash-over-valuation (COV) for such buyers who paid a COV over the last five years ranged from $14,800 to $30,000.”
“For seniors looking to right-size, HDB provides the Silver Housing Bonus of up to $30,000 in cash, or the deferment of downpayment until key collection. HDB also holds frequent public outreach programmes to raise awareness of the various options and schemes available for seniors. Seniors who require further assistance may approach HDB.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) offers various housing options to cater to seniors' needs and has measures in place to ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible to seniors. Eligible seniors aged 55 and older can purchase a 2-room Flexi flat on a short-lease from HDB, regardless of the number of housing subsidies they have enjoyed previously. In each Build-To-Order (BTO) project with 2-room Flexi flats, at least 40% or 100 units of such flats, whichever is higher, is set aside for seniors. In addition, of these flats, half are set aside for eligible seniors who wish to buy a 2-room Flexi flat to age-in-place or live near their parents or married child under the Senior Priority Scheme. In 2022, about 6,500 seniors aged 55 and older applied for 2-room Flexi flats in HDB's BTO and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. Among them, about 5,200, or around 80%, had taken one or more housing subsidies before. About 2,000, or around 30%, were unsuccessful in their flat applications, with the majority of such applicants applying for a flat in the SBF exercises, where there is limited supply and high demand. Seniors are encouraged to consider applying to BTO projects with lower application rates for a better chance of securing a flat. For seniors who wish to live in the same precinct as their married child for mutual care and support, HDB offers the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme, which sets aside up to 15% of 2-room Flexi or 3-room flats for eligible seniors. HDB also offers 3Gen flats to facilitate multi-generation living under one roof, and Community Care Apartments (CCA) that integrate housing with care services to support seniors to age-in-place. We will be launching our second CCA pilot at Queenstown in the upcoming November sales exercise.”
“Public housing in Singapore primarily caters to the housing needs of Singaporeans. Subsidised Build-To-Order (BTO) flats can only be purchased by households with at least one Singapore Citizen (SC). This means that the main applicant must be an SC and his/her co-applicants, if any, must be SCs or Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs). This extends to first-timer households applying for a Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant when purchasing a resale flat. SPR households are allowed to purchase resale flats without housing grants, but they must have been SPRs for at least three years. In each of the last ten years, between 2011 and 2021: (a) Between 84% and 90% of all BTO flats booked were by households where all applicants were SCs. The remainder of between 10% and 16% of the BTO flats were booked by households with SCs and SPRs. (b) Between 65% and 83% of the resale flats bought were by households where all applicants were SCs, and the percentage generally increased across the years. The remainder of between 17% and 35% of the resale flats bought were by households where at least one applicant was an SPR. The share of resale flats bought by SPR households fell from about 27% in 2011 to 7% in 2021. This could be attributed to the implementation of the condition in 2013 that SPR households are required to wait three years from the date of obtaining SPR status before they can purchase a resale flat.”
“Town Councils are responsible for managing the common property within the Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, including the maintenance of greenery. To support Town Councils on their greenery management efforts, the National Parks Board (NParks) shares best practices and guidelines with them. This includes advice on how to reduce bird-related disamenities to residents, by pruning trees to discourage roosting, or planting species that are less attractive to birds such as mynas and crows. To meet such operational responsibilities, TCs can make use of their operating fund. NParks will continue to support TCs with advice on their greenery maintenance efforts. We will also continue to mitigate pest bird-related issues through our community- and science-based approach, which comprises measures such as food source reduction, public education on the negative impact of illegal bird-feeding and enforcement against such acts.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) monitors the utilisation rate of HDB car parks to ensure that there is a good balance between providing season parking lots for residents and having sufficient capacity for short-term or visitor parking. Parking utilisation rates vary across car parks as these are dependent on various factors, such as the flat mix, profile of residents and the number of visitors to the estate. For car parks where parking utilisation is lower, HDB will consider repurposing them for other uses, subject to factors, such as technical feasibility, proximity to residential blocks, configuration of the car park, impact to the traffic circulation and an assessment of the potential disamenities to residents. Following such studies, HDB has converted the upper levels of some Multi-Story Car Parks (MSCPs) for urban farming and social communal facilities. Should the Member have any specific car park in mind, she can surface a request to HDB for consideration.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA)'s Accessibility Fund encourages private building owners to make their buildings more accessible and inclusive for different user groups, such as persons with disability and seniors, by providing funding support as they undertake voluntary upgrading work. It co-funds up to 80% of the construction cost of basic accessibility features, such as ramps, lifts and accessible toilets, and up to 60% of the construction cost of Universal Design features, including elderly-friendly and family-friendly facilities. The Accessibility Fund is not intended to promote commercial activities, such as the delivery of goods. Instead, to facilitate deliveries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA)'s Code of Practice on Vehicle Parking Provisions encourages building owners to allow despatch drivers to use existing loading/unloading bays. Agencies are working with industry stakeholders to address parking challenges for delivery riders and develop best practices to facilitate safe and efficient delivery pick-ups at commercial malls.”
“In September 2022, the Government introduced an interest rate floor of 3% per annum for the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to compute the eligible housing loan amount for flat buyers taking a HDB loan, and lowered the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit for HDB housing loans from 85% to 80%. These two measures are implemented to protect Singaporeans by encouraging prudent borrowing amidst the rising interest rate environment. Flat buyers' housing budget and ability to purchase a flat depends on various factors, such as their eligibility for the Central Provident Fund (CPF) housing grants and their CPF and cash savings, and not just the maximum loan amount they are eligible for. Most flat buyers will not be affected by the introduction of the interest rate floor as they do not take up the maximum housing loan amount. As an illustration, about eight in 10 flat buyers in 2021 would not have been affected by the change in the interest rate floor and lower LTV limit. In addition, first-time buyers, especially lower-income households, will generally be less affected by the lower LTV limit. First-timer flat buyers can enjoy the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant of up to $80,000, in addition to the generous subsidies in the new flat price, or total grants of up to $160,000 if they choose to buy a resale flat. They can use the grants, as well as their CPF and cash savings, to pay for their flat purchase, before taking up a housing loan. These measures are necessary as property loans are long-term commitments and often a household's largest liability. The higher floor rates and lower LTV limit ensure that today's borrowers take loans that reflect the likelihood of rising interest rates and avoid overstretching themselves.”
“We are reviewing the Animals and Birds Act to strengthen our safeguards on animal health and welfare, as well as public health and safety. This will include the review of penalties under the Act, to ensure that they remain effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse. As part of our review, we will consult the public and relevant stakeholders, such as veterinarians, animal-related businesses and animal welfare groups on our proposals. More details will be shared when ready.”
“The mortgage servicing ratio (MSR) also falls below 25% for most new and resale first-timer flat buyers who take on an HDB loan, which means that most flat buyers can service their housing loans using their monthly CPF contributions, with little or no cash outlay. On land costs, HDB pays fair market value for the land that is purchased to develop HDB flats, which is determined independently by the Chief Valuer. Proceeds from HDB’s land purchase are paid back into the Past Reserves, which are, in turn, invested to generate returns for future generations of Singaporeans. The total land costs that HDB paid to SLA in FY2012 and FY2021 are in Table 2 below. Apart from land costs, HDB also incurs construction costs to build HDB flats. The total development cost, which includes construction and land costs, cannot be fully covered by the selling prices of flats. HDB thus incurs a significant deficit each year for the Home Ownership segment, and the deficit incurred in FY2021 ($3.85 billion) was almost double that of the previous year. We remain committed to keeping public housing affordable and accessible to Singaporeans and to help Singaporeans own their first home.”
“In pricing Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, HDB’s key consideration is to ensure affordability for flat buyers, especially first-timers. HDB first establishes the market value of the flat by considering the prevailing market conditions, prices of comparable resale flats nearby and the individual attributes of the flat, such as its location, floor area, storey height, orientation and accessibility to facilities, key transport nodes and amenities. A significant subsidy is then applied to ensure that new flats are affordable to those buying their first home. The prices of new BTO flats are substantially lower than comparable resale flats, and pricing information is published at every BTO launch. The amount of subsidy applied varies across launches, depending on the prevailing market conditions, location and attributes of the flats offered. As such, it is not meaningful to compare it across years. In the past two years, even as construction costs increased by about 30%, we have managed to keep BTO flat prices relatively stable by increasing the subsidy applied. The average selling prices per square foot for BTO flats in 2012 and the first three quarters of 2022 are in Table 1 below. On top of the subsidy applied, HDB provides further housing grants to help specific demographic groups achieve their home ownership aspirations. These include the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant, Proximity Housing Grant and Step-Up CPF Housing Grant, and are not accounted for in the selling prices reflected in Table 1. Over the same period, the median resident employed household income grew by 26%, and housing grants had also been increased several times. Altogether, the effective price of a new HDB flat for first-timer buyers is, generally, four to five times that of their annual household income.”
“HDB does not track feedback on peeled solar films as the installation and maintenance of solar film are the responsibility of flat owners.”