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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“Hence, NParks carries out habitat modification, such as replacing or harvesting fruit trees to reduce the availability of food sources at macaque hotspots. NParks also works closely with other public agencies, grassroots organisations and Town Councils to engage the community on proper refuse management, and to deter illegal wildlife feeding. Public engagement and outreach are key to NParks' wildlife management approach. This includes efforts such as school assembly talks, engagement sessions and public webinars to raise public awareness on wildlife management. In addition, NParks works with stakeholders to develop educational resources to advise the community on how to respond to wildlife sightings. For example, NParks launched the "Our Wild Neighbours" initiative in April, together with partners from the nature community, to promote co-existence with Singapore's wildlife. With some care and vigilance, we can minimise wildlife intrusions by refraining from feeding wildlife, keeping our residential areas clean and appreciating wildlife from a safe distance.”
“From 2017 to June 2022, the Government received about 2,500 cases of monkey-related feedback each year, including cases of intrusions, feeding and attacks. NParks adopts a community and science-based approach to manage the population of wildlife in Singapore. It carries out research on the distribution of these species, as well as their behaviour and ecology. For example, NParks is conducting a study on the population trends of long-tailed macaques. Recent studies have also shown that there are around 10 otter families in Singapore, consisting of about 150 otters. NParks will intervene to address intrusions and attacks by wildlife, to ensure public safety. NParks partners the Otter Working Group and the Long-Tailed Macaque Working Group, which include stakeholders, such as agencies, academic experts and members of the nature community, to jointly develop solutions and implement measures for wildlife management. This includes monkey guarding to deter troops of monkeys from entering residential areas, which was recently carried out in response to monkey-related feedback in the Clementi area. NParks also cordons off areas with young otter pups to minimise the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict. To safeguard public safety, NParks implements population control measures where needed. These measures have been effective in managing the wildlife population and in mitigating intrusions. The most probable root cause of flare-ups in wildlife intrusion is feeding, whether in the form of intentional feeding or improper disposal of food waste. Such actions can alter the natural foraging behaviour of wildlife and cause them to approach and rely on humans for food. We have to keep up preventive measures in order to avoid more intense intervention from time to time.”
“As at 31 December 2011, about 6,100 households (or 0.7% of all HDB households then), rented out their HDB flats while owning private residential property. Of these, about 5,900, or 97%, were Singaporean households, while about 200 were Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) households. Since January 2013, SPR households have been disallowed from renting out their whole flat for the duration of their flat ownership. This is to ensure that SPR households purchase HDB flats only for owner-occupation. SPR households are also not allowed to retain their HDB flat if they acquired an interest in a private residential property. These rules are still in place today. As at 31 December 2021, about 21,000 Singaporean households (or 2.1% of all HDB households) rented out their flats while owning private residential property.”
“Before the announcement of a SERS exercise, HDB reviews the entire benefits package for residents holistically. Including the compensation value of the existing flats and other benefits, residents under SERS will generally be able to afford replacement flats. Under SERS, flat owners are compensated for their existing flats based on the prevailing market values at the time of the SERS announcement. The SERS grant of up to $30,000 for eligible households provides added financial help for residents to purchase a replacement flat. SERS flat owners can, then, use their total compensation to decide on a rehousing option that best suits their needs and budget. They may buy a new flat at the designated replacement site at a subsidised price, which is also frozen at the point of the SERS announcement date, or a subsidised new flat elsewhere, offered in HDB's public sales exercises. In addition, residents will receive payment for reasonable expenses, comprising a removal allowance and stamp, and legal fees for the purchase of a replacement flat. MND does review the removal allowance, taking into account factors, such as the cost of engaging movers, which is typically between $300 and $500 per truck load. To minimise the need for renovations, SERS flat owners can opt for fittings and fixtures to be installed in their new flat under the Optional Component Scheme (OCS). The cost of OCS will be incorporated into the flat price, which can be paid via CPF monies and/or housing loan, thus reducing the cash outlay needed for renovations. We continue to monitor the costs closely and will review the grant as and when needed.”
“Even as we assist flat buyers who need temporary housing due to BTO completion delays, we must also balance the use of flats across different rental schemes to meet the needs of different groups, prioritising those who are most needy.”
“The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) offers an additional temporary housing option for households awaiting the completion of their new flats. PPHS is open for application once every two months and eligible applicants are put through a ballot. Those shortlisted via the ballot are invited to select a PPHS flat in the month following their application and can move in immediately after selecting a flat. Those who were not shortlisted via the ballot can apply in subsequent rounds. The timeline for flat selection has not changed since January 2022. In August 2021, we finetuned the PPHS criteria to prioritise applicants with a more urgent need for temporary housing and announced that we will double the supply of PPHS flats from about 800 to 1,600 units over the next two years. Since then, we have added about 200 units to the PPHS supply and are on track to add another 800 units by 2023. As a result, the PPHS application rate, or the number of applications per unit, has fallen by more than half since August 2021. The current PPHS application rate is about nine times. While this is high, the non-selection rate is also high – almost half of the applicants invited to select a flat do not do so, suggesting that many have other options. For Interim Rental Housing (IRH), HDB offers this as a last resort to help needy families who are in transit between longer-term housing options. Flat buyers affected by BTO completion delays are offered IRH on a case-by-case basis, if they have no other temporary housing options. The time taken to allocate a flat under IRH varies, depending on the family's locational preferences. Some flats that are used for IRH or PPHS could otherwise have been used for the Public Rental Scheme.”
“First-timer families are given two ballot chances when HDB shortlists flat applicants to book a flat under the Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. Those who have been unsuccessful in two or more attempts for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates already receive an additional ballot chance at each subsequent application for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates. This is provided they have not been invited to select a flat for any of their earlier BTO or SBF applications. As a result, virtually all first-timer families have been successful within their first three tries for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates in recent years. There is no need to further increase the number of ballot chances for these applicants at this juncture. SBF flats are mainly unsold BTO flats. As the supply of SBF flats is smaller and demand is high, it would not be meaningful to accord additional ballot chances to unsuccessful applicants. Applicants should consider applying for BTO flats in the non-mature estates instead, where the chances of success are higher.”
“To ensure that mortgage subsidies are prioritised for households who need them the most, there are eligibility conditions that households need to fulfil in order to qualify for an HDB housing loan. This includes meeting the prevailing income ceiling. In assessing whether a household has exceeded the income ceiling, HDB considers the incomes of all household members listed in the application, including non-residents. In determining the loan quantum that HDB can extend to eligible flat buyers, HDB only considers flat buyers' incomes because they are the borrowers who will need to service the mortgage loan. The incomes of all occupiers are not considered, regardless of their citizenship and relationship with the flat buyers. Nevertheless, HDB does consider appeals to include an occupier's income for the computation of the HDB housing loan quantum on a case-by-case basis.”
“Flat owners are typically allowed to purchase subsidised flats only twice and are required to pay a resale levy before or upon the purchase of their second subsidised flat. This is to ensure a fairer distribution of public housing subsidies between first-time and second-time buyers of subsidised HDB flats. Under SERS, households whose SERS flat is a subsidised flat do not need to pay a resale levy when they buy a new subsidised replacement flat from HDB. This waiver of resale levy is a concession under SERS. However, the resale levy is payable for SERS households who had previously sold a subsidised flat elsewhere but had not bought a second subsidised flat and paid a resale levy. In such instances, the resale levy is capped at $30,000 as a concession under SERS. In addition, SERS flat owners who are liable for but do not wish to pay the resale levy have other housing options, such as selling their SERS flat with the rehousing benefits on the open market or opting for an ex-gratia payment on top of the market compensation for their SERS flat. They can then buy a resale flat of their choice without the need to pay any levy.”
“The number of pigeon-related feedback received by NParks has remained constant, while the number of crow-related feedback cases has increased moderately in recent years. NParks adopts a community and science-based approach to manage the population of birds in Singapore, comprising measures such as habitat modification, food source reduction, and population control. At HDB housing estates, NParks works with Town Councils (TCs) to carry out habitat modification, such as tree pruning, installing netting on HDB flats, as well as replacing certain tree species to discourage roosting. NParks also works with stakeholders such as animal management companies and TCs to trap pest birds such as crows and pigeons in a safe and humane manner, to manage their populations. In addition, NParks carries out studies to understand the ecology of birds, such as their roosting patterns and movements, to support its bird management strategies. To reduce the availability of food sources, NParks works closely with SFA, NEA and TCs to encourage proper food waste management at food establishments around HDB housing estates, and to enforce against littering and illegal bird-feeding. NParks also partners agencies and Town Councils to educate the community on proper refuse management. These measures have been effective in mitigating the disturbances caused to residents. NParks will continue to work closely with agencies to enhance its bird management strategies to reduce bird-related disamenities, such as noise disturbances caused to residents.”
“Between January 2022 and June 2022, about 140 Malay public rental households successfully achieved home ownership and bought their own HDB flats. Between June 2021 and June 2022, about 70 Malay households relinquished their HDB flat ownership and applied successfully for a public rental flat. As at 30 June 2022, there are about 17,600 Malay households living in public rental flats. We will continue to work closely with MSF's ComLink initiative, other social agencies and community partners, to uplift public rental households and support them on their journey towards home ownership.”
“M3 continues to work with its partners and volunteers, and leverages Government schemes to support these families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.”
“Project Dian@M3 was launched in December 2021 at three public rental blocks across the M3@Towns, with one block each in M3@Bedok, M3@Geylang Serai and M3@Jalan Besar. This initiative is run by the M3 Engagement Coordination Office and aims to support Malay/Muslim families living in public rental flats to achieve stability, self-reliance, and social mobility. Project Dian@M3 complements the Government's efforts in supporting households living in public rental flats, by providing wrap-around support for Malay/Muslim families in rental flats and linking them up with community and national programmes, including MSF's Community Link (ComLink) initiative, and HDB's Home ownership Support Team. Under Project Dian@M3, volunteers befriend, build trust, and journey with the families, while connecting them with other agencies such as Social Service Offices, SkillsFuture Singapore, Ministry of Education, as well as community groups to help the families address their various challenges, and work towards purchasing their own HDB flat when they are ready. To date, M3@Towns and their volunteers have reached out to 170 out of 252 Malay/Muslim families living in the three rental blocks – 49 families in M3@Bedok, 72 families in M3@Geylang Serai and 49 families in M3@Jalan Besar. Amongst the families that are currently under Project Dian@M3, all of them are still working towards home ownership. For families living in public rental flats, attaining home ownership is a journey that takes time. The profiles of the families engaged under Project Dian@ M3 are varied, and they are at different stages of progress. Some are grappling with other challenges, such as employment challenges, family issues, and health issues.”
“Of these 62 farms, 24 farms have successfully secured replacement sites and are in the process of relocating their farms. The remaining 38 farms say that they are still in the process of looking for a replacement site or are winding up.”
“The western part of Lim Chu Kang, which includes vacant land and farm sites, will be needed for the Singapore Armed Forces' operational and training purposes. The development works will take place in two phases. One phase will commence later this year and the other phase will commence next year. Since 2014, the affected farms have been informed that their leases will not be renewed after they expire. Since then, agencies have provided many forms of support to help the affected farms relocate. For example, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has facilitated the food farms in tendering for new agri-land plots and other spaces such as rooftop urban farms or industrial spaces, and worked closely with the farms on their transition plans. NParks has also engaged the non-food farms regularly to guide them in tendering for replacement sites, or to move indoors into industrial space where possible. Funding support has also been provided to facilitate the adoption of technology and innovative solutions to enhance their productivity and modernise their operations, as part of their relocation. Agencies have also expedited regulatory approvals for farms that are transiting to new farm plots. We have also provided multiple lease extensions to facilitate the tenants’ participation in various land tenders and to give the farms more time to plan and execute their relocation plans. The Singapore Armed Forces needs the land for military training to replace military training land that had been given up for the development of Tengah New Town. The development plans for the affected area cannot be delayed any further. Of the 70 affected farms, eight farms have vacated and returned their plots to the state and 62 farms currently remain in the affected area.”
“An HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) Letter advises flat buyers on their eligibility to take an HDB housing loan and the loan quantum that they are eligible for. From January 2022 to June 2022, HDB received an average of about 400 applications per month for an HLE letter from Singapore citizens with a non-resident spouse. HDB does not keep track of the type of work passes held by the non-residents. In determining the loan quantum to be indicated in the HLE letter, HDB only considers flat buyers’ incomes because they are the borrowers who will need to service the mortgage loan. The incomes of all occupiers are not considered, regardless of their citizenship and relationship with the flat buyers. Nevertheless, HDB does consider appeals to include an occupier’s income for the computation of the HDB housing loan quantum on a case-by-case basis.”
“Owners of 3-room and larger HDB flats are allowed to rent out their spare bedrooms for rental income, subject to the prevailing terms and conditions, such as the occupancy cap and whether the tenants are allowed to rent HDB rooms. Flat owners must obtain prior approval from HDB to rent out their bedrooms and inform HDB of any changes made to the tenancy records, such as a change of tenants or early termination of tenancy, for the duration of the approval. Between 2017 and 2021, HDB approved about 456,000 applications from flat owners to rent out their bedrooms. Of these, 41 approvals, or less than 0.01% of approved applications, were later revoked as the owners had breached the terms and conditions governing the renting out of bedrooms. The most common reasons include failure to update HDB on subsequent changes of tenants and exceeding the occupancy cap. Owners who have their room rental approvals revoked may submit a fresh application for bedroom rental if they meet the terms and conditions to do so, without the need for an appeal.”
“When carrying out works in HDB flats, contractors are required to properly dispose of renovation debris at NEA-approved disposal sites at the end of every workday. Renovation contractors who are found to have improperly disposed of renovation debris on common property in HDB estates will face a penalty of $500 and be given six demerit points under the Demerit Points System. Renovation contractors who accumulate 24 demerit points within a 24-month period will be barred from carrying out any new renovations works in HDB flats for the next 12 months. In addition, Town Councils are also empowered under the Town Councils Act to make by-laws to allow them to take appropriate action against contractors for dumping offences at HDB common areas. This may include issuing a notice of composition to errant contractors.”
“We have a systematic approach to incorporate heritage considerations in our planning and development process. Every development proposal is subject to a robust planning evaluation process that considers its impact on traffic, public health, environment and built heritage. URA and NHB regularly engage and collaborate with expert panels, such as the Heritage and Identity Partnership (HIP) and Heritage Advisory Panel (HAP), as well as the community, upstream in the planning process to integrate heritage buildings and structures sensitively into our modern cityscape. To complement this approach, we introduced a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) framework in March 2022. Under this framework, public projects likely to cause major impact to significant heritage sites will be assessed to ascertain the need for heritage studies or other mitigating measures. The scale and scope of such studies will be dependent on the site contexts and design proposals. HIAs, the most extensive type of studies, are likely to be necessary only for larger-scale public development projects in areas of rich, complex, heritage significance. For other projects that have smaller heritage impact and are assessed to not require a full HIA, URA and NHB will work with developing agencies to study the proposals on a case-by-case basis, including meaningful ways to recall the heritage and identity of the sites. Under Master Plan 2019, part of the Bukit Brown area is zoned for residential use. The existing cemetery areas will be kept for as long as possible and these will only be reviewed in the longer term when the need arises.”
“As at May 2022, there were about 1,700 approved applicants awaiting allocation of a rental flat, of which 350 (21%) were male divorcees. Amongst the male divorcees, 3% were aged below 35, 53% were aged 35 to 59, and 44% were aged 60 and above. Divorcees include those with care and control of a child who can apply together as a family nucleus, and those without care and control of a child, who are treated as singles.”
“The income ceilings for the purchase of subsidised HDB flats and Executive Condominiums (ECs) are reviewed regularly to ensure that public housing remains within reach of the majority of citizen households and that housing subsidies are given to those who need them most. Factors that are considered include the household incomes of Singaporeans and prevailing housing market conditions, among others. We are also mindful that lower income households could be crowded out by an adjustment to the income ceilings. In 2019, due to rising incomes, we raised the income ceiling from $12,000 to $14,000 for families buying a new flat, and from $14,000 to $16,000 for families buying an EC from property developers. At the same time, we introduced the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) to better support lower- to middle-income families buying their first homes. At the current income ceiling of $14,000, about eight in 10 Singaporeans may buy a subsidised flat. There is no income restriction for the purchase of a non-Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) resale HDB flat on the open market. HDB is committed to helping Singaporeans, particularly first-timers and lower- to middle-income families, to own a home. The Government will continue to monitor housing market conditions closely to ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible.”
“In fact, most of them can service their housing loans using their monthly CPF contributions, with little or no cash outlay. To meet the strong demand for public housing, we will ramp up the supply of BTO flats and launch up to 23,000 flats per year in 2022 and 2023, an increase of 35% from the 17,000 flats launched in 2021. We are prepared to launch up to 100,000 flats in total from 2021 to 2025, if needed, subject to prevailing demand. MND/HDB will continue to monitor the housing market closely, taking into account long-term demographic and population trends, to ensure that the supply of public housing remains affordable, accessible and responsive to the housing needs of the population.”
“All flat buyers enjoy a housing subsidy when they buy a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat from HDB, as HDB applies a significant subsidy to the assessed market value of the flat and prices the flat below the market. In addition, eligible first-timer flat buyers can also enjoy the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) of up to $80,000, which provides further support to lower- and middle-income families buying their first home. On the other hand, HDB resale flats are transacted at prices mutually agreed upon by flat sellers and buyers. Eligible first-timers buying resale flats can receive up to $160,000 in housing grants. This comprises the CPF Housing Grant of up to $50,000, EHG of up to $80,000, and Proximity Housing Grant of up to $30,000. Between 2012 and 2021, the median selling prices of 4-room BTO flats in the non-mature estates bought by first-timer Singaporean families before grants increased by 10%, or by 1.4% after grants, while the flat buyers' incomes grew by 27%. Over the same period, the prices of 4-room resale HDB flats in the non-mature estates bought by first-timer Singaporean families before grants increased about 9%, or decreased by 1.3% after grants, while their median household incomes rose by 48%. Both HDB new and resale flats have thus remained affordable as incomes have kept pace with flat prices. HDB also increased housing grants several times over the same period, which has helped to keep flats even more affordable. Most first-timers buying new and resale flats in non-mature estates in 2021 only need to use less than a quarter of their monthly income to pay for their loan instalments. This is well below the international benchmark of 30% to 35%.”
“Operators who successfully tender for HDB coffee shops, typically, provide budget food options at every stall, with these priced at around $3. The rentals under Price-Quality tenders are also lower and more sustainable than under pure price bidding tenders. We note the suggestion from the Member on possible rent control measures. We will need to guard against unintended impacts. For example, by controlling rent, we could end up reducing the incentive for coffee shop owners to invest in improving their coffee shops to provide better services and facilities to customers. Coffee shops and food centres play an important social role in our HDB towns and estates, as they not only provide a convenient option for cooked food and drinks for residents, but also serve as key community hubs for families and friends to bond and connect over food and drinks. As such, HDB regularly monitors the resale market for HDB coffee shops, as well as the prices of food sold in both sold and rental coffee shops and will not hesitate to review its policies to address affordability concerns where necessary.”
“There are, presently, over 770 HDB coffee shops in Singapore. Some of these coffee shops are sold and are, hence, privately-owned, while the rest are rented out by HDB. We are mindful of the need to ensure that residents have access to affordable cooked food options and of the potential impact of resale transactions and have, therefore, put in place various measures over the years. One key measure is to ensure a good supply of coffee shops in every HDB estate and town, so that there is healthy competition. These coffee shops can also be run by social enterprises, for example, NTUC Foodfare, to help keep food prices low. The market for F&B is highly competitive, especially in our heartlands. For example, the two coffee shops in Tampines and Yishun are within neighbourhood centres that have five and seven coffee shops respectively within a 400-metre radius and residents, hence, have a choice of affordable food options there. HDB completed 34 new coffee shops in the last four years and continues to build new ones to serve new HDB developments. Another 30 coffee shops will be completed in the next four years. Aside from coffee shops, we also have over a hundred hawker centres in Singapore and the Government is building more. Four new centres will begin operations this year, with another seven being planned or under construction. Since 1998, HDB no longer sells coffee shops and only rents them out. In addition, HDB has introduced new measures to ensure quality and affordability of food in these coffee shops that are rented out. In 2018, HDB introduced Price-Quality tenders, with 50% of points assigned to the Quality of the operator, which includes aspects, such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives.”
“This coffee shop was sold to the sitting tenant in October 1992, at $3,451,200. This unit has not been sold since then, and this will be its first resale transaction. The coffee shop is located in Tampines Neighbourhood 2 Neighbourhood Centre, comprising Blocks 201 to 201G Tampines Street 21. This Neighbourhood Centre has a total of four sold coffee shops and there is another rental coffee shop located across the road at Block 264. There is a sufficient supply of coffee shops in the vicinity to maintain healthy competition and nearby alternative options for stallholders and customers. HDB will continue to ensure a good supply of coffee shops to create competition and help keep food prices affordable. For example, 34 coffee shops have been completed in the past four years and another 30 will be completing by 2025.”
“We aim to conclude JTM in the second half of this year and will work with our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), trade associations and chambers (TACs) and firms to implement the recommendations. The Government will continue to work with TACs to transform the industry, identify more good jobs with high localisation potential and attract more Singaporeans to join the construction industry.”
“Currently, the majority (about 60%) of locals employed in the construction industry take on Professional, Manager, Executive and Technician (PMET) roles rather than blue-collar jobs, for example, craftsmen, assemblers, labourers, which are predominantly taken up by migrant workers. Under the Construction Industry Transformation Map (ITM), the Government aims to leverage technology to make construction firms more productive and reduce their reliance on migrant workers. At the same time, this will create more higher-skilled and higher value-added jobs that we aim to attract Singaporeans to take up. For instance, the increased adoption of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) will shift the production of building components to automated off-site facilities. This will create new jobs, such as production managers and quality assurance personnel, that could attract more Singaporeans. On-site, contractors require highly-skilled crane operators to hoist DfMA components and manoeuvre them into place with precision. This is an example of a high demand, high value-added job with competitive wages that has the potential to attract more locals. We will consider how to build on existing programmes, such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Work-study Diploma for students and Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) for mid-career entrants, to upskill and attract more Singaporeans to take on such jobs. In addition, BCA has embarked on a Jobs Transformation Map (JTM) study for the Built Environment sector to take a targeted approach to grow in-demand jobs. The JTM will examine the combined effects of COVID-19 and industry transformation and chart out interventions for specific roles. This could include redesigning or professionalising certain jobs.”
“There are various factors that affect the construction time of each BTO project, including site conditions and the height of the buildings. Projects with difficult site conditions or with very high storey-heights will require more construction time. For HDB BTO projects launched in the last 10 years (2012 to 2021), the 25th percentile, median, average and 75th percentile of actual waiting times for completed projects are shown in Table 1 below. The median estimated waiting time for HDB BTO projects that are still under construction is about 4.3 years. Besides the significant delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions over the last two years caused by both the pandemic and current geopolitical uncertainties, the longer median waiting time now can also be partly attributed to more high-rise HDB developments. In the past two years, HDB has been working hard to intensify housing yield to meet the strong housing demand. For example, 13% of BTO blocks launched in 2020 and 2021 are more than 30 storeys tall, as compared to just 3% of BTO blocks launched in the preceding five years. With the improving COVID-19 situation and a more positive outlook in the construction industry, construction projects are, gradually, regaining momentum. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we expect things to get better going forward. HDB will continue to work hard to minimise delays and deliver new BTO flats to buyers as soon as possible, while ensuring that the safety and quality of our projects are not compromised.”
“Nonetheless, we understand the concerns of flat owners, especially the seniors, who have expressed that they do not wish to top up the payment for an equivalent flat on a 99-year lease as they have no need for such a long lease. Their priority is to secure a replacement flat of similar size, in surroundings familiar to them. Taking into consideration the views and feedback from the residents, MND and HDB have provided two additional housing options to meet the different rehousing needs of SERS flat owners. First, we will offer 3-room or larger flats on a 50-year lease at the designated replacement site, if this is able to last the flat owner till at least age 95. For the flat owners at Ang Mo Kio, a 50-year lease would be similar to the balance lease of their flats by the time they move to their replacement flats in 2027. In addition, we will also offer the seniors at the SERS site the option to take up the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) for their existing flat even though SERS has been announced. These seniors can then buy a short-lease replacement flat thereafter. These additional options will be offered to eligible flat owners in SERS sites, starting from the SERS site at Blocks 562 to 565 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, which was announced on 7 April 2022.”
“The Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) was introduced in 1995 as part of our estate renewal strategy for older HDB estates. It allows us to renew older estates, optimise land-use and provide better homes for residents. On top of compensation for the SERS flat, which is based on the prevailing market value of the flat as at SERS announcement, and additional benefits, such as a SERS grant of $30,000 and a removal allowance of $10,000, flat owners are offered new replacement flats that come with fresh 99-year leases. These are priced with a generous subsidy, making their prices considerably lower than comparable resale flats in the vicinity. Alternatively, SERS residents can apply for new flats elsewhere under the Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises and enjoy a 10% priority allocation. They can also choose to purchase a resale flat and will receive an additional amount of $30,000, on top of the SERS grant. Residents aged 55 and above also have the option to purchase a 2-room Flexi flat with a short lease. Holding size, location and other attributes constant, an older flat with a shorter remaining lease will have a lower market value than a younger one with a longer lease. For past SERS exercises, the flats had been younger and the market compensation for flat owners had, generally, been sufficient for the residents to choose a new replacement flat of a similar type or size on a fresh 99-year lease. For the latest SERS exercise at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, based on the estimated compensation amounts and estimated selling prices of the replacement flats, flat owners will, generally, be able to purchase a replacement flat of a similar flat type with the compensation provided, with a fresh 99-year lease, albeit, possibly, a smaller floor area.”
“All HDB flat owners of new and resale flats need to fulfil a minimum occupation period (MOP). The MOP reinforces the principle that HDB flats are, primarily, meant for owner-occupation and ensures that flat buyers purchase an HDB flat with the intention of living in it. The MOP also deters speculative purchases, thereby helping to keep HDB flats affordable. Flat owners are not allowed to apply for a new flat from HDB during the MOP. This is to allow HDB to better prioritise our limited supply of new flats for buyers who do not yet own an HDB flat; it also helps manage the demand from those who do not have urgent housing needs. Flat owners who need to move out urgently after meeting the MOP and are unable to wait for BTO flats may consider buying a resale flat on the open market. Buyers can choose from a wide range of resale flats for different budgets and needs, and these flats are, generally, ready for immediate occupation. Eligible buyers can also consider applying for flats from HDB through the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) or open booking of flats, where some flats are near completion or completed, if they have urgent housing needs and do not have specific requirements as to the flat location. That said, we recognise that some flat owners may have extenuating circumstances that require them to apply for another flat before the end of the MOP. HDB will consider such appeals on a case-by-case basis.”
“I thank the Member for his suggestion and assure him that MND and HDB will continue to review our public housing polices to ensure that they remain relevant and responsive to the needs of flat buyers.”
“Families who wish to buy a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat to live with or near their parents or married child enjoy priority in their flat application under the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) and the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS). Under MCPS, HDB sets aside up to 30% of flat supply for first-timer families and up to 15% of flat supply for second-timer families. Within the MCPS quota, first priority is given to applicants who apply for a flat to live with their parents or married child, and parents who own a flat in the mature estates and apply for a flat in the non-mature estates to live near their married child. Married couples and their parents can also make a joint application for two new flats in the same BTO project under MGPS. The parents can book a 2-room Flexi or 3-room flat, and up to 15% of these flats are set aside for MGPS parents. A corresponding number of flats in the project is set aside for married couple applicants. Besides these priority schemes, first-timer families are given two ballot chances, compared to one for second-timer families. First-timer families who have two or more unsuccessful applications for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates are also given an additional ballot chance for their subsequent BTO application in the non-mature estates. As a result, virtually all first-timer families who have applied for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates, regardless of their eligibility for priority schemes, are successful by their third try. Families also have the option of buying a resale flat, and eligible families who live with or near their parents or married child can enjoy a Proximity Housing Grant of up to $30,000 and $20,000 respectively.”
“The Government recognises that Town Councils may face challenges in getting locals to take on cleaning and conservancy work in HDB housing estates where the majority of Singaporeans reside. Hence, we have granted a concession to Town Councils where contractors engaged by Town Councils for cleaning and conservancy work are allowed to engage Work Permit holders from non-traditional sources, in addition to the sources permitted for the Services sector. This is to help ensure there is sufficient manpower for cleaning and conservancy works in our HDB estates. While foreign workers can augment our workforce to better meet existing needs, it would not be possible to keep increasing the quotas set. Town Councils and cleaning contractors are encouraged to explore automation and other best practices to avoid over-reliance on manual labour and foreign workers for cleaning and conservancy work. Nevertheless, should Town Councils have extenuating circumstances which require them to engage more foreign workers beyond the quota allocated to them, they can surface the details to MND and we will work with MOM to assess the request.”
“The Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) will be implemented in the longer term, as HDB flats and estates get older, to facilitate the orderly redevelopment and rejuvenation of these towns and estates. This will also allow more households to benefit from redevelopment before their flat leases expire, starting from when the flats reach around age 70 or older. Unlike SERS, VERS will be a voluntary programme and residents will vote on the exercise in their precinct. If residents in a selected precinct vote in support of VERS, the Government will buy back all the flats and redevelop the precinct and residents can use their sales proceeds to help pay for another flat. If the residents do not support VERS, they can continue to live in the precinct until their flat leases run out. The terms of VERS will not be as generous as SERS due to the lower redevelopment potential and, hence, smaller financial upside from the redevelopment. VERS is a complex undertaking, involving detailed long-term town planning. We are in the midst of working out the details, such as how to identify the precincts, how to pace the redevelopment over time, the specific terms of the Government’s offer, the voting threshold that needs to be achieved for a selected precinct to proceed with VERS, and how to ensure fiscal sustainability in the long run. We will seek ideas and views from the public in the process and will share more information with Members and Singaporeans when we are ready.”
“HDB works closely with respective lead agencies, such as MOH, MSF, ECDA and PA, to plan and provide for Social Communal Facilities (SCF) in new public housing developments. The lead agencies will assess the demand for SCFs under their purview, taking into consideration the location of the new HDB development, population catchment, demographics and existing facilities in the vicinity, and HDB will set aside SCF spaces based on these demand projections. Some of the SCFs are built in tandem with HDB developments while others are safeguarded as spaces for future development. Apart from providing the required SCF spaces according to the respective agencies’ needs, HDB also safeguards additional spaces within new HDB developments, which are kept as void spaces and are not built up. These spaces can be readily converted for SCF use in future should the need arise. Beyond communal spaces in the void decks, large facilities, such as childcare centres and elder care centres, are now often integrated in multi-storey carparks or located in purpose-designed standalone community facilities buildings. HDB also actively plans for common spaces where the community can gather. Precinct pavilions have been built in new developments to provide space for community functions, such as weddings and funeral wakes. Community Living Rooms are located at the void deck of every block, furnished with seats and tables to provide spaces for residents to interact and gather. HDB will continue to review the provision norms and work with the lead agencies and local Advisers to identify and provide sufficient spaces for social communal uses, in accordance with the changing demographics and needs of HDB residents.”
“Operators who successfully tender for HDB coffee shops, typically, provide budget food options at every stall, with these priced at around $3. The rentals under Price-Quality tenders are also lower and more sustainable than under pure price-bidding tenders. Coffee shops and food centres play an important social role in our HDB towns and estates, as they not only provide a convenient option for cooked food and drinks for residents, but also serve as key community hubs for families and friends to bond and connect over food and drinks. As such, HDB regularly monitors the resale market for HDB coffee shops, as well as the prices of food sold in both sold and rental coffee shops and will not hesitate to review its policies to address affordability concerns where necessary.”
“There are, presently, over 770 HDB coffee shops in Singapore. Some of these coffee shops are sold and are, hence, privately-owned, while the rest are rented out by HDB. We are mindful of the need to ensure that residents have access to affordable cooked food options and of the potential impact of resale transactions and have, therefore, put in place various measures over the years. One key measure is to ensure a good supply of coffee shops in every HDB estate and town, so that there is healthy competition. These coffee shops can also be run by social enterprises, for example, NTUC Foodfare, to help keep food prices low. The market for F&B is highly competitive, especially in our heartlands. For example, the two coffee shops in Tampines and Yishun are within neighbourhood centres that have five and seven coffee shops respectively within a 400-metre radius and residents, hence, have a choice of affordable food options there. HDB completed 34 new coffee shops in the last four years and continues to build new ones to serve new HDB developments. Another 30 coffee shops will be completed in the next four years. Aside from coffee shops, we also have over a hundred hawker centres in Singapore and the Government is building more. Four new centres will begin operations this year, with another seven being planned or under construction. Since 1998, HDB no longer sells coffee shops and only rents them out. In addition, HDB has introduced new measures to ensure quality and affordability of food in these coffee shops that are rented out. In 2018, HDB introduced Price-Quality tenders, with 50% of points assigned to the Quality of the operator, which includes aspects, such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives.”
“In 2018, HDB introduced Price-Quality tenders, with 50% of points assigned to the Quality of the operator, which includes aspects, such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives. Operators who successfully tender for HDB coffee shops, typically, provide budget food options at every stall, with these priced at around $3. The rentals under Price-Quality tenders are also lower and more sustainable than under pure price-bidding tenders. Coffee shops and food centres play an important social role in our HDB towns and estates, as they not only provide a convenient option for cooked food and drinks for residents, but also serve as key community hubs for families and friends to bond and connect over food and drinks. As such, HDB regularly monitors the resale market for HDB coffeeshops, as well as the prices of food sold in both sold and rental coffee shops and will not hesitate to review its policies to address affordability concerns where necessary.”
“Another example is the coffee shop at Bukit Batok St 11 that was sold at $31 million in 2015. Today, residents in that area have the choice of six other coffee shops within the vicinity. Despite the transacted price, it has been observed that food prices at the Bukit Batok St 11 coffee shop are marginally higher, by 10 cents to 20 cents, and a cup of coffee is the same price, as compared to other nearby coffee shops. HDB plans the provision of coffee shops and other commercial amenities in new housing developments carefully, taking into account the number of dwelling units within the development as well as surrounding developments. The same approach is adopted for new housing developments in both mature and younger HDB towns. HDB also considers the residents' ease of access to amenities by surveying the availability of existing commercial facilities in the vicinity. Most residents can access commercial facilities, such as shops and coffee shops, within 400 metres' walking distance or a five- to 10-minute walk from their blocks. HDB completed 34 new coffee shops in the last four years and continues to build new ones to serve new HDB developments. Another 30 coffee shops will be completed in the next four years. Aside from coffee shops, we also have over a hundred hawker centres in Singapore and the Government is building more. Four new centres will begin operations this year, with another seven being planned or under construction. Ultimately, consumers must be given the choice to go elsewhere. This applies to stallholders as well. If the rents set by coffee shop owners are too high, stallholders could move to other eating establishments, resulting in vacant stalls and holding costs for the owners. Since 1998, HDB no longer sells coffee shops and only rents them out.”
“There are, presently, over 770 HDB coffee shops in Singapore. Some of these coffee shops are sold and are, hence, privately-owned, while the rest are rented out by HDB. The two coffee shops in Yishun and Tampines that were recently transacted at around $40 million each are amongst 400 coffee shops which had been sold by HDB in the 1990s. The intent had then been to encourage private sector ownership in running these coffee shops. Such privately-owned HDB coffee shops are now transacted on the open market on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis. Some buyers may be bullish about units at certain locations and are, hence, willing to pay a higher resale price. The two coffee shops in Yishun and Tampines are also large, with many stalls. However, such transaction prices are a minority. Since 2010, 70% of resale transactions of sold coffee shops were at below $10 million. Resale volume is also fairly low, with an average of 15 transactions per year since 2010. We are mindful of the need to ensure that residents have access to affordable cooked food options, and of the potential impact of such transactions and have, therefore, put in place various measures over the years. One key measure is to ensure a good supply of coffee shops in every HDB estate and town, so that there is healthy competition. These coffee shops can also be run by social enterprises, for example, NTUC Foodfare, to help keep food prices low. The market for F&B is highly competitive, especially in our heartlands. For example, the two coffee shops in Tampines and Yishun are within neighbourhood centres that have five and seven coffee shops respectively within a 400-metre radius, and residents, hence, have a choice of affordable food options there.”
“For the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) exercise at Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, there are about 350 flat owners who are currently 55 years old and above. A large majority of these seniors either did not take a loan for their existing flat or have fully paid up their HDB loan. Based on the estimated compensation amounts and estimated selling prices of the replacement flats at Ang Mo Kio Drive, flat owners will generally be able to purchase a replacement flat of a similar flat type on a fresh 99-year lease with the compensation provided. Seniors can also buy a 2-room Flexi flat with a short lease ranging from 15 to 45 years. Nonetheless, we understand the concerns of flat owners, especially seniors, who have indicated that their priority is to move to a replacement flat of similar size and in familiar surroundings, and that they do not need a full 99-year lease given their age. Taking into consideration the views and feedback from the residents, MND and HDB have provided two additional housing options to meet the different rehousing needs of SERS flat owners. Seniors will now also have the option to buy a 3-room or larger new replacement flat at the designated replacement site on a 50-year lease, or take up the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) for their SERS flat and buy a short-lease replacement flat thereafter. Those who take up these options should not require any loan for the purchase.”
“Car park operators can adopt various technologies to suit their operational needs. For HDB car parks, HDB has developed a barrier-free smart parking system, Parking@HDB and installed the system at four HDB precincts in Punggol Northshore. These carparks have no barriers, and motorists can just park and go. Cameras will detect vehicle plate numbers, and parking charges will be automatically calculated. Motorists can pay using their credit or debit cards via the Parking@HDB mobile application, and do not need to worry about insufficient funds in their CashCards. HDB is currently evaluating and finetuning these pilots at Punggol Northshore, before progressively scaling up to other HDB car parks.”
“Operators who successfully tender for HDB coffeeshops typically provide budget food options at every stall, with these priced at around $3. The rentals under Price-Quality tenders are also lower and more sustainable than under pure price bidding tenders. We note the suggestion from the Member on possible rent control measures. We will need to guard against unintended impacts. For example, by controlling rent, we could end up reducing the incentive for coffeeshop owners to invest in improving their coffeeshops to provide better services and facilities to customers. Coffeeshops and food centres play an important social role in our HDB towns and estates, as they not only provide a convenient option for cooked food and drinks for residents, but also serve as key community hubs for families and friends to bond and connect over food and drinks. As such, HDB regularly monitors the resale market for HDB coffeeshops, as well as the prices of food sold in both sold and rental coffeeshops, and will not hesitate to review its policies to address affordability concerns where necessary.”
“There are presently over 770 HDB coffeeshops in Singapore. Some of these coffeeshops are sold and are hence privately-owned, while the rest are rented out by HDB. We are mindful of the need to ensure that residents have access to affordable cooked food options, and of the potential impact of resale transactions, and have therefore put in place various measures over the years. One key measure is to ensure a good supply of coffeeshops in every HDB estate and town, so that there is healthy competition. These coffeeshops can also be run by social enterprises, for example NTUC Foodfare, to help keep food prices low. The market for F&B is highly competitive, especially in our heartlands. For example, the two coffeeshops at Tampines and Yishun are within neighbourhood centres that have five and seven coffeeshops respectively within a 400m radius, and residents hence have a choice of affordable food options there. HDB completed 34 new coffeeshops in the last four years, and continues to build new ones to serve new HDB developments. Another 30 coffeeshops will be completed in the next four years. Aside from coffeeshops, we also have over a hundred hawker centres in Singapore, and the Government is building more. Four new centres will begin operations this year, with another seven being planned or under construction. Since 1998, HDB no longer sells coffeeshops, and only rents them out. In addition, HDB has introduced new measures to ensure quality and affordability of food in these coffee shops that are rented out. In 2018, HDB introduced Price-Quality tenders, with 50% of points assigned to the Quality of the operator, which includes aspects such as the availability of budget meals, good track record and community initiatives.”
“The number of HDB resale flats that have been sold for $1 million or more increased by 4.6 times from 46 flats in 2017 to 259 flats in 2021, largely due to the small base in 2017. These flats still form the small minority, at only 0.4% of all HDB resale transactions in the past five years. Flats that are transacted at high prices tend to be in very favourable locations or come with larger floor areas. In Dec 2021, the Government announced more measures to promote continued housing affordability. For example, the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit for HDB housing loans has been reduced from 90% to 85% to encourage financial prudence amongst home buyers. HDB will also ramp up the supply of new Build-To-Order (BTO) flats to meet the strong housing demand from Singaporean households, by launching up to 23,000 flats per year in 2022 and 2023, and up to 100,000 flats in total from 2021 to 2025, if needed. We will continue to monitor the resale market closely to ensure that public housing remains affordable, accessible and inclusive for Singaporeans.”
“The number of households that took up the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) scheme, and the total cash bonuses disbursed under the SHB scheme in each of the past five years is in Table 1.”
“Since May 2019, lift and escalator (L&E) contractors that tender to undertake Government contracts for lift maintenance have been required to adopt the progressive wage model (PWM) for local lift maintenance technicians. These firms have also been required to extend the PWM to local escalator maintenance technicians from 1 July 2022. More than 40 L&E contractors, maintaining more than 90% of the L&E in Singapore, have adopted the L&E PWM. We intend to mandate the L&E PWM for all L&E contractors, and will provide more details when ready. BCA estimates that the number of local technicians in the L&E maintenance industry grew by about 150 between 2020 and 2021. Based on available information, the majority of the new entrants are likely to be mid-career individuals.”
“HDB flat sizes have remained unchanged since 1997 but average household sizes have decreased. The average size of HDB flats and typical range of flat sizes completed in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are in Table 1 below.”