# More Support for Flat Owners Constrained by the Ethnic Integration Policy - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2022-03-08T08:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/more-support-for-flat-owners-constrained-by-the-ethnic-integration-policy - **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Government & Policy, Transactions & Deals ## Featured rationale The measure may provide an exit route for owners facing restricted buyer pools and prolonged sales, potentially reducing pressure to accept unreasonably low resale prices. ## AI summary With immediate effect, HDB will offer fair-price buybacks to eligible EIP-constrained owners who have owned their flats for at least 10 years and genuinely marketed them. ## Original article The Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, announced at MND’s Committee of Supply debate today that HDB will introduce an additional measure to assist flat owners who face genuine difficulties selling their flats at a reasonable price when the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) quotas have been reached. In such circumstances, HDB will offer to buy back flats from eligible EIP-constrained flat owners who approach HDB for assistance. Importance of the EIP The EIP was introduced in 1989 to foster greater social cohesion. Since its inception, it has helped to maintain a diverse ethnic mix across HDB blocks and neighbourhoods, through quotas that apply at the point of flat purchase, as well as at subsequent resale. Most Singaporeans, across all ethnic groups, recognise the importance of the EIP in promoting racial harmony. Current Measures to Assist EIP-Constrained Flat Owners MND and HDB are aware that a small number of EIP-constrained flat owners may face difficulties selling their flats. To assist these flat owners, HDB has put in place a range of measures over the years. These include giving EIP-constrained flat owners more time to sell their existing flat if they have purchased another one, and waiving the EIP limits in exceptional circumstances to allow flat owners to sell their flat to buyers from any ethnic group. However, it is not possible to waive the limits for every EIP-constrained flat owner. Doing so may lead to a further imbalance in the proportions of the various ethnic groups in specific blocks or neighbourhoods, which would undermine the objective of encouraging more social mixing across different races in our HDB heartlands. MND and HDB have been studying options to provide more support for EIP-constrained flat owners who face difficulties selling their flats at a reasonable price. We have also received thoughtful suggestions from the public, and wish to thank them for their ideas and feedback. Buyback Assistance To complement the existing assistance measures, HDB will buy back flats from eligible EIP-constrained flat owners who face genuine difficulties selling their flats at a reasonable price. This includes flat owners who bought their flats from HDB and those who purchased their flats on the resale market, regardless of whether the flat was EIP-constrained when it was bought. Flat owners who face such difficulties can approach HDB for assistance. Eligibility Criteria HDB will assess requests for buyback assistance on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the specific circumstances of the household, including whether they have: a. Fulfilled the Minimum Occupation Period and owned the flat for at least 10 years; and b. Made regular genuine attempts over a continuous period to sell the flat at a reasonable asking price while constrained by one or more EIP limits. i. In assessing requests for buyback assistance, HDB will consider if the period over which a flat owner marketed his/ her flat is comparable to the time taken by most flat owners to sell their flats. Based on HDB’s experience, six months is presently sufficient for most flat owners to do so. This may change depending on prevailing market conditions. ii. To set a reasonable asking price, flat owners can take reference from recent transaction prices for flats located within 200m of their flat, and make adjustments to account for their flat’s attributes – storey height, orientation, etc. HDB publishes details of such transactions via its Transactions Within 200 Metres e-Service. iii. Flat owners should keep monthly records of their marketing attempts throughout the marketing period (e.g. online or print property listings which include the asking price and listing date, records of flat viewings, etc.) and submit them to HDB when seeking assistance. EIP-constrained flat owners who do not fulfil these criteria, but who face extenuating circumstances, may seek special consideration from HDB. If a flat owner is assessed to be ineligible for buyback assistance at a specific juncture, HDB will provide direct advice to the flat owner, where appropriate, e.g. inform the flat owner about the transaction prices of comparable flats in the vicinity in order to help him/ her set a reasonable asking price, or advise the flat owner to continue marketing his/ her flat if he/ she has only done so for a short period. Determining the Buyback Price Once a flat owner is assessed to be eligible for buyback assistance, HDB will appoint a professional licensed valuer to value the subject flat. Such valuers are licensed by the Inland Revenue of Singapore (IRAS) and are members of the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV). They will make their assessment based on established valuation principles. HDB will then determine the buyback price and make an offer for the flat at a fair price. Flat owners can take up to three months to decide if they wish to accept HDB’s buyback offer. Those who choose not to do so will not be eligible for buyback assistance for a period of 12 months after the offer lapses. Please see examples of the timeline for buyback assistance in Annex A. Treatment of Flats Bought Back by HDB The flats bought back by HDB will become part of HDB’s housing stock and will be offered for sale to the public through the Sale of Balance Flats exercises or open booking. As with all flats sold through these modes, HDB will apply a significant subsidy to the assessed market value of the flat to determine the sale price. A household’s eligibility to book the flat will depend on the prevailing ethnic proportions in the block and neighbourhood when they are invited to select a flat. Implementation Date Buyback assistance will be implemented with immediate effect. EIP-constrained flat owners may write to HDB at http://www.hdb.gov.sg/efeedback to seek assistance. Timeline for Buyback Assistance ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 为受种族融合政策限制的组屋业主提供更多支援 国家发展部部长李智陞先生今日在国家发展部拨款委员会辩论中宣布，建屋发展局（HDB）将推出一项额外措施，协助在种族融合政策（Ethnic Integration Policy，EIP）配额已满的情况下，难以以合理价格出售组屋并面临实际困难的业主。在此情况下，建屋发展局将向向其寻求协助、符合资格的受EIP限制业主提出回购组屋。 种族融合政策的重要性 种族融合政策于1989年推出，旨在促进更大的社会凝聚力。自实施以来，该政策通过在购屋及随后转售时适用的配额，帮助在各建屋发展局组屋大厦和邻里维持多元的种族组成。大多数新加坡人，不分种族，都认同种族融合政策在促进种族和谐方面的重要性。 目前协助受EIP限制业主的措施 国家发展部和建屋发展局知悉，少数受EIP限制的组屋业主可能在出售组屋时面临困难。 为协助这些业主，建屋发展局多年来已推出一系列措施。其中包括：若受EIP限制的业主已另购组屋，给予其更长时间出售现有组屋；以及在特殊情况下豁免EIP限额，允许业主将组屋出售给任何种族的买家。 然而，不可能为每一位受EIP限制的业主都豁免限额。若这样做，可能导致特定大厦或邻里内各族群比例进一步失衡，从而削弱在组屋邻里鼓励不同种族更多社交融合的目标。 国家发展部和建屋发展局一直在研究如何为难以以合理价格出售组屋的受EIP限制业主提供更多支援。我们也收到公众深思熟虑的建议，并感谢他们的想法和反馈。 回购协助 为补充现有的协助措施，建屋发展局将向面临以合理价格出售组屋实际困难的、符合资格的受EIP限制业主回购组屋。这包括向建屋发展局购买组屋的业主，以及在转售市场购买组屋的业主，无论购屋时该单位是否已受EIP限制。面临此类困难的业主可向建屋发展局寻求协助。 资格准则 建屋发展局将按个案评估回购协助申请，并考虑该家庭的具体情况，包括他们是否： a. 已履行最低居住期（Minimum Occupation Period），并拥有该组屋至少10年；以及 b. 在受一项或多项EIP限额限制的情况下，在一段连续时期内，以合理叫价定期作出真正的售屋尝试。 i. 在评估回购协助申请时，建屋发展局将考虑业主推销组屋的时间是否与大多数业主售出组屋所需的时间相当。根据建屋发展局的经验，目前六个月对大多数业主而言已足够。此时间可能因当前市场情况而有所变化。 ii. 为设定合理的叫价，业主可参考其组屋200米范围内近期成交价，并根据其组屋的属性——楼层高度、朝向等——作出调整。建屋发展局通过其“200米范围内交易”电子服务（Transactions Within 200 Metres e-Service）公布此类交易详情。 iii. 业主应在整个推销期间保留每月的推销尝试记录（例如包含叫价和刊登日期的网上或平面房地产广告、看房记录等），并在寻求协助时提交给建屋发展局。 不符合上述准则、但面临特殊情况的受EIP限制业主，可向建屋发展局寻求特别考虑。 若在某一时点评估业主不符合回购协助资格，建屋发展局将在适当情况下直接向业主提供意见，例如告知业主附近可比组屋的成交价，以协助其设定合理叫价；或若业主仅推销了较短时间，则建议其继续推销组屋。 厘定回购价格 一旦业主被评估为符合回购协助资格，建屋发展局将委任专业持牌估价师对该组屋进行估价。此类估价师由新加坡国内税务局（Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore，IRAS）发牌，并为新加坡测量师及估价师学会（Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers，SISV）会员。他们将根据既定的估价原则进行评估。建屋发展局随后将厘定回购价格，并以公平价格提出购屋要约。 业主可有最多三个月时间决定是否接受建屋发展局的回购要约。选择不接受者，在要约失效后的12个月内将不符合回购协助资格。回购协助时间表示例请见附件A。 建屋发展局回购组屋的处理方式 建屋发展局回购的组屋将成为其住房存量的一部分，并通过剩余组屋发售（Sale of Balance Flats）或公开预订向公众发售。与通过这些方式出售的所有组屋一样，建屋发展局将对评估市值提供显著津贴，以厘定售价。家庭预订组屋的资格，将取决于他们获邀选购时该大厦和邻里的现行种族比例。 实施日期 回购协助即日起实施。受EIP限制的组屋业主可致函建屋发展局（http://www.hdb.gov.sg/efeedback）寻求协助。 回购协助时间表