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NEWS
SNIPPETS
2008
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Release of 3rd Quarter 2008 Public Housing Data |
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Resale transactions increased by about 4%,
from about 7,760 cases in 2nd Quarter 2008 to about 8,110 cases in 3rd
Quarter 2008 (see
Annex C)... |
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Subletting transactions fell slightly by
about 4% from about 4,120 cases in 2nd Quarter 2008 to about 3,960
cases in 3rd Quarter 2008 (see
Annex F). The total number of HDB flats approved for subletting
rose to about 21,400 units, compared to about 20,200 units in 2nd
Quarter 2008... |
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More..... |
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2007
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Use of outdoor display areas (ODA) by HDB shop
retailers |
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Since 17 Oct 07, HDB, SCDF and NEA have been
mounting joint inspections with the Town Councils to enforce the ODA
guidelines. Sixteen joint inspections, one in each of the 16 Town
Councils, involving a total of 1,180 commercial units, have been carried
out to-date. |
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Upon the first joint inspection, an average
of 41% of the shops at each site were found to have infringed the ODA
guidelines. Some of the common infringements include installation of
drop-down screens and lack of 1-metre distance between rows of goods... |
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More..... |
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Lower season parking charges for commercial vehicles
weighing up to 1800kg |
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From 1 Dec 2007, owners of commercial
vehicles such as vans and mini-buses with unladen weight not exceeding
1,800 kg will enjoy lower season parking charges if their vehicles can
fit into a car lot... |
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About 900 season parking ticket holders are
expected to benefit from the revision. Instead of paying the higher
season parking charge of between $120 and $185 per month for heavy
vehicles, they will now pay the lower season parking charge of $65 for
surface car parks and $90 for multi-storey car parks in residential
estates, and between $80 and $180 in commercial areas... |
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More..... |
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HDB releases public housing data for 3Qtr 2007 |
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HDB’s Resale Price Index (RPI) rose by 6.6%
in 3rd Quarter 2007 over the previous quarter, with price increases
across most flat types and towns. |
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The median Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) amount
among all resale transactions conducted in 3rd Quarter 2007 was $17,000
(see Annex C). Cases requiring COV constituted 80% of all resale
transactions in this quarter, with 20% of resale transactions done at or
below valuation... |
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More..... |
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Measures to help HDB retailers |
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Most older HDB shops were built with
electrical loads lower than current norms. Over time, the electrical
load requirements in shops have increased with the proliferation of
air-conditioning, more lighting and other electrical appliances. |
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Currently, the charges for electrical
upgrading for shop tenants and shop owners are $45 per amp and $85
per amp respectively. From 14 Nov 2007, electrical upgrading up to
1 phase 60 amp will be free for tenants while shop owners will pay
the revised charge of $45 per amp... |
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The lower charges/free upgrading will
benefit about 1,200 owners and 1,300 tenants of HDB shops with an
existing electrical supply of less than 1 phase 60 amps... |
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More..... |
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Regulation of cyber gaming cafes in HDB estates |
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Computer gaming establishments are only
allowed to be set up at shopping, recreational or commercial centres.
This includes HDB Town Centres, which are part commercial and part
residential. |
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In addition, licensees of computer gaming
centres are required not to admit persons below 16 years of age before
6.30 pm on a school day. |
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Further, the licensee has to ensure that
students wearing school uniforms are not admitted into the establishment
at any time, and is not allowed to provide a change of clothes to
students... |
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More..... |
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HDB introduces family season parking ticket from 1 Oct
2007 |
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The Family SPT is for HDB residents who
require SPT to two different car parks because of family arrangements... |
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For such residents, who have already bought
a regular SPT to park at their own residential car park, there is a need
for a second SPT to park at another car park for visiting their parents,
children, grandparents, siblings or their in-laws. |
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The Family SPT will be sold at 50% of the
regular SPT price applicable to the car park where the Family SPT is to
be purchased. |
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More..... |
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HDB releases public housing data |
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"30% of all resale cases in 2nd Quarter
2007 were transacted at or below valuation, with an overall median
Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) of about $7,000... |
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"The number of resale transactions
increased by 38% from 6,300 cases in 1st Quarter 2007 to 8,700
cases in 2nd Quarter 2007 (see Annex D). |
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"This is indicative of a more active
HDB resale market, and the availability of more resale flats to
meet the location and flat type preferences of flat buyers..." |
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More..... |
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$210 million rebates for 800,000 households in FY2007 |
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"For fiscal year (FY) 2007, 800,000 eligible
households will receive $210 million worth of Service & Conservancy
Charges (S&CC), rental and Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates as part of
the GST Offset Package announced in the Budget Statement 2007. |
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"Households can get up to 4 months of S&CC
rebates, 4 months of rental rebates and $220 worth of U-Save rebates.
These rebates will cost the Government $210 million in FY2007 and $800
million in total over 5 years..." |
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More..... |
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Singaporeans can sign up for GST Credits from 15 May 2007 |
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"2.4 million Singaporeans will be eligible
for $650 million of GST Credits and Senior Citizens Bonus in 2007... |
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"Eligible Singaporeans will receive a
letter from the CPF Board by 15 May 2007 on how much GST
Credits/Senior Citizens’ Bonus they can receive and how to sign
up. |
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"From 15 May 2007, Singaporeans can
sign up at any DBS/POSB/UOB/OCBC ATM or through the GST Offset
Package website at
www.gstoffset.gov.sg. They need to do so by 25 June 2007 to
get the GST Credits/Senior Citizens’ Bonus if they would like to
receive these on 1 July 2007..." |
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More..... |
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RFID tags to replace paper HDB season parking tickets |
| "HDB is
introducing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags
to replace the current paper disc issued to season
parking tickets (SPT) holders... |
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"SPT holders will be notified by post
closer to the time when the RFID tags are implemented at their car
parks. New SPT applicants will be given RFID tags when they apply
to purchase season parking..." |
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More..... |
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2006
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HDB further relaxes policy on subletting of whole flats |
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"With immediate effect, HDB will be
relaxing its policy on the subletting of whole flats through a
further reduction of the MOP and delinking it from the lessees’
HDB loan status. The revised MOP is: |
"5 years for owners of
subsidised flats, i.e. flats
purchased directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF
Housing Grant; and
3 years for owners of non-subsidised flats, i.e.
flats purchased from the open market without a CPF Housing
Grant..." |
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More..... |
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Rates for HDB rental flats to be pegged to household income |
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"Starting from 1 Mar 07, HDB will align the
rental for its flats to the household income of the tenants. |
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"Tenants whose monthly income is $800 and
below will continue to pay the 1st-tier rent. Similarly, tenants who
rented their flats after 1 Oct 2003 and whose monthly income is between
$801 and $1500 will continue to pay the current 2nd-tier rent. |
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"However, tenants whose income has since
risen above these levels will be required to pay higher rent
based on their new income levels..." |
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More..... |
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3rd Quarter 2006 real estate statistics
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Flat buyers taking an HDB loan need HDB loan eligibility letter
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Key challenges facing public housing in Singapore |
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"Between now and 2030, the number of elderly
aged 65 years or older will increase dramatically, from 300,000 to
900,000. 1 in 5 Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above by 2030. |
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"We will need to provide a wide range of
housing options to meet the different financial needs and lifestyle
preferences of the elderly, from smaller HDB flats like studio
apartments, to private retirement housing with dedicated care
facilities..." |
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More..... |
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ICA raid in 2 HDB blocks nets 33 immigration offenders
2005
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Pay half-hourly rates for night parking at HDB/URA carparks -
Small Claims Tribunal to cover short-term residential tenancy agreements
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Review of housing options for the elderly |
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"To encourage extended family living, HDB
will extend the $12,000 monthly income ceiling to extended families
buying resale HDB flats with the CPF Housing Grant. The revised policy
will apply with immediate effect... |
| "To facilitate the elderly to buy SAs, buyers
aged at least 55 years will now be able to use their CPF to buy SAs
after they have set aside at least the full cash component of their
Minimum Sum... |
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More..... |
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Private sector to build and sell HDB flats
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HDB & URA outsource car park enforcement services
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Policy changes affecting the property market |
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increase the housing
financing limit to 90% of the property value |
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lower the cash
payment for private residential properties from 10% to 5% |
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allow CPF members to
use their CPF savings to purchase private residential properties
with remaining leases of 30 to 60 years |
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allow non-related singles to use
their CPF savings to jointly purchase private residential
properties |
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phase out the
Non-Residential Properties Scheme (NRPS) by 1 Jul 2006 |
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allow foreigners to
purchase apartments in non-condominium developments of less than
6 levels without the need to obtain prior approval |
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More..... |
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- HDB
Sample Household Survey 2003
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HDB Resale Flats: HDB-assigned valuers for bank loan cases
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No first-year cash rebates for housing loans from 6 Jan 2005
2004
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CPF
Changes from 1 January 2005
- MAS
specifies procedures under current housing loan rules
- Singles
can buy any type of resale HDB flats from 15 Sep 2004
2003
- Government
announces new Home Office Scheme
2002
2001
2000
HDB relaxes
guidelines for renovation works
HDB's sale of 3-room
flats under walk-in selection system: Oct 2000
HDB to take back flat of killer-litter offender
The Housing &
Development Board (HDB) announced on 19 Sep 2000 that it will take back the
flat of killer-litter offender Madam Wong Sook Ying, 47, immediately. It
decided to mete out the harshest punishment to her as she is a repeat
offender. It will give another four offenders and their families six
months to move out of their HDB flats, and issue final warning letters
to another four offenders. The HDB said that it had based its decision
on revised guidelines concerning convicted killer-litter offenders.
New measures for 4-room flats
From 1 Oct 2000, couples
with at least one partner younger than 30 who apply for a four-room
Housing Board flat can pay the 20% down payment in two stages: 10% when
they sign the agreement and another 10% when they take over the flat.
Also, civil servants who marry will soon get three extra days' paid
leave. These are some of the latest measures, announced by the Working
Committee on Marriage and Procreation on 28 Aug 2000, to address Singapore's
declining marriage and birth rates.
Another case of killer-litter
Another Housing Board
resident has been arrested for throwing killer litter - the third within
seven days. The 33-year-old man was spotted throwing four flower pots
down from the 11th storey of Block 10 Teck Whye Lane in Choa Chu Kang 18
Jul 2000 at about 11am. No one was injured but both acts were witnessed
by two residents who called the police.
Flats of convicted killer-litter offenders to be taken back
Taking back the flats of
convicted killer-litter offenders is a harsh measure, but it is needed
to press home the point that anti-social behaviour will not be
tolerated, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan on 17 Jul
2000. At
a media briefing on killer-litter, he said the HDB preferred to use
public education, but the recent spate of incidents showed that
education alone was not enough.
Seminar
on resale procedures for buyers & sellers of HDB flats The Housing & Development Board is
organising a public seminar on resale procedures for buyers and
sellers of HDB flats on Saturday 5 Aug 2000 from 9am to 1pm. Admission
to the seminar is limited to 215 persons at S$25 each. Those interested in
attending the seminar may make cheque payment in favour of HDB or cash
payment at Counter 29, Level 1 Podium A, HDB Centre, Jalan Bukit Merah.
Cheque payments should reach HDB by 2 Aug 2000. For enquiries, please call
Tel: (65) 279 6279.
Flats of convicted killer-litter residents to be taken back
The Housing Board (HDB) has
to be firm with people who throw rubbish out of the window, and is
justified in saying it would take back the flats of three HDB residents
convicted of killer-litter offences, said Deputy Prime Minister Lee
Hisen Loong yesterday. |
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