# Supporting the diverse housing needs of all Singaporeans

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2020-03-04T11:30:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/supporting-the-diverse-housing-needs-of-all-singaporeans
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Transactions & Deals

## Featured rationale

The measures could encourage senior right-sizing, widen access to public housing and create demand for housing formats integrating smaller homes with care services.

## AI summary

HDB announced broader housing support, including enhanced senior monetisation bonuses, a roughly 160-unit assisted-living pilot and expanded flat options for unwed parents.

## Original article

At MND’s Committee of Supply debate today, Minister for National Development Mr Lawrence Wong announced various measures to make housing more accessible and to better support the diverse housing needs of all Singaporeans.

Helping Home Buyers Access Flats Faster

Currently, unsold flats from Build-To-Order (BTO) exercises are first offered at Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. Flats not taken up at SBF exercises are offered through the Re-Offer of Balance Flats (ROF) exercises, before finally being made available for open booking, if they remain unselected. To help buyers get their homes earlier, HDB will do away with the ROF exercises, so that most of the unselected flats from the SBF exercises can be offered directly for open booking.

Supporting Housing Needs of Unwed Parents

We are committed to supporting the efforts of our vulnerable groups, such as unwed parents, to ensure that their children have a stable home to grow up in, and a good start in life. Hence, unwed parents who approach HDB for housing assistance will not be turned away. We assess each request holistically and individually, because their circumstances vary.

Unwed parents aged 35 and above can purchase a 2-room Flexi flat in the non-mature estates or a resale flat if eligible. We have already been exercising flexibility on a case-by-case basis for unwed parents aged 21 and above (but below 35) years old to buy a 2-room Flexi flat in the non-mature estates or a resale flat. We are now prepared to also allow unwed parents aged 21 and above to buy a 3-room flat in a non-mature estate from HDB, compared to only a 2-room flat previously. Unwed parents can also continue to request to buy a resale flat. Those who cannot afford to buy any flat will be considered for public rental flat.

In all of this, we will safeguard the best interests of the child. As such, unwed parents should still approach HDB individually with their housing requests.

Streamlining Monetisation Options for Seniors

Enhancements to Silver Housing Bonus (SHB)

The Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) was introduced to help elderly households supplement their retirement income when they right-size from a larger flat into a smaller one. Currently, seniors can qualify for the SHB when they top up their CPF Retirement Account (RA) with part of the proceeds unlocked from right-sizing. The amount of top up required depends on the amount of proceeds unlocked. After making a first top up of $60,000, seniors may be required to make a second top up, depending on their remaining proceeds and RA balances. To qualify, seniors also have to be selling a larger flat and buying a 3-room or smaller flat.

The SHB will be simplified and enhanced. Seniors will only be required to top-up $60,000 of their proceeds[1] to their CPF RA to qualify. There will be no second top up required. The requirement that they must be selling a larger flat will also be removed. Seniors can now qualify as long as they buy a 3-room or smaller flat, and they have proceeds from the move[2].

To better support seniors in their retirement, the SHB will be increased to $30,000, up from $20,000 today. This means that seniors will now receive a cash bonus of $1 for every $2 topped up to their CPF RA, instead of $1 for every $3 cash top-up[3].

Enhancements to Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS)

The maximum Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) bonus will also be increased to $30,000 to align with the revised SHB. Currently, owners of 3-room or smaller flats, 4-room flats, and 5-room or larger flats can get a maximum cash bonus of $20,000, $10,000, and $5,000 per household, respectively. The maximum bonus quantum will be increased by 50% to $30,000, $15,000 and $7,500 respectively[4].

Application

The enhancements to the SHB and LBS will take effect from today. Those who have applied for either scheme but have not yet received their bonus will also benefit, and can expect to receive the enhanced bonus from 1 Apr onwards.

Alternative Housing Option for Seniors

MND and MOH have been studying the concept of assisted living, where housing is integrated with care services. A series of focus group discussions was conducted last year to gather feedback from seniors and service providers.

With positive feedback on the assisted living concept, HDB will proceed to launch the new flat typology in Bukit Batok in May 2020. This typology will come with a service package to support seniors to age in-place.

The block will be designed with large communal spaces on every floor, so that residents can gather with their neighbours conveniently. The flats, sized at about 32 sqm, will be enhanced with senior-friendly fittings and larger bathrooms, and other features to accommodate those with mobility needs.

The pilot development in Bukit Batok will comprise about 160 units. More details such as the service offerings, sales conditions, indicative flat prices and payment options will be shared in the coming weeks.

Support for Households Who Require Direct Lift Access

The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was introduced in 2001 to provide residents with direct lift access to their flats. At the start of the programme, there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks without full lift access.

Over the years, HDB has introduced innovative technical solutions to provide such blocks with lift access. Through these efforts, the vast majority of the 5,300 blocks have since been provided with direct lift access through the LUP. Some examples of solutions that have been successfully implemented include lifts that do not have a machine room at the top of the shafts (i.e. machine room-less lifts), and the use of smaller “home lifts” which are suitable for low-rise blocks.

Currently, there remain about 150 blocks where LUP has not been implemented due to prohibitive costs or site constraints. HDB will continue to explore possible ways, including new technical methods, to bring direct lift access to residents of these blocks.

In the meantime, residents living in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or mobility reasons will be eligible for a Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000 to help them buy another flat (i.e. either a new flat from HDB, or a resale flat) with lift access. Such residents should approach HDB, and HDB will see how best to assist them.

Enquiries

For enquiries, the public may email our HDB’s Sales/ Resale at hdbsales@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg or hdbresale@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg or make an appointment with our HDB Branches via the HDB InfoWEB (www.hdb.gov.sg/branch).

[1] Under the enhanced SHB, proceeds is defined as the selling price of the current property minus the sum of any outstanding loan on the current property, the purchase price of the next flat, and resale levy payable.

[2] Private property owners right-sizing to a HDB flat can qualify if their private property has an Annual Value not exceeding $13,000.

[3] Top-ups beyond the prevailing Full Retirement Sum (FRS) do not attract any cash bonus.

[4] Seniors must top up at least $60,000 to qualify for the maximum LBS bonus. Top-ups beyond the prevailing Full Retirement Sum (FRS) do not attract any cash bonus.

Issued By : MND & HDB

Date : 4 March 2020

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 支持所有新加坡人多元的住屋需求

在国家发展部今日的拨款委员会辩论中，国家发展部长黄循财先生宣布多项措施，使住屋更易获得，并更好地支持所有新加坡人多元的住屋需求。

帮助购屋者更快获得组屋

目前，预购组屋（BTO）推出后未售出的单位，会先在剩余组屋销售（SBF）活动中发售。在SBF活动中仍未获认购的单位，会通过剩余组屋再发售（ROF）活动发售，若仍未被选购，最终才开放公开申请。为帮助购屋者更早获得住屋，建屋发展局将取消ROF活动，使大部分在SBF活动中未被选购的单位可直接开放公开申请。

支持未婚父母的住屋需求

我们致力支持弱势群体（如未婚父母）的努力，确保他们的孩子有稳定的家可以成长，并有良好的人生起点。因此，向建屋发展局寻求住屋援助的未婚父母不会被拒之门外。我们会全面、个别地评估每一项申请，因为他们的情况各不相同。

年满35岁及以上的未婚父母，若符合资格，可在非成熟市镇购买二房式灵活组屋，或购买转售组屋。我们已在个案基础上灵活处理，允许年满21岁及以上（但未满35岁）的未婚父母在非成熟市镇购买二房式灵活组屋或转售组屋。我们现在也准备允许年满21岁及以上的未婚父母向建屋发展局在非成熟市镇购买三房式组屋，而此前仅限于二房式组屋。未婚父母也可继续申请购买转售组屋。无力购买任何组屋者，将获考虑公共租屋。

在这一切过程中，我们将保障孩子的最大利益。因此，未婚父母仍应个别向建屋发展局提出住屋申请。

精简乐龄人士变现选择

乐龄安居花红（SHB）的加强

乐龄安居花红（SHB）的推出，是为了帮助乐龄家庭在从较大组屋缩小至较小组屋时，补充退休收入。目前，乐龄人士在将缩小住屋所释放的部分收益存入公积金退休账户（RA）后，可符合SHB资格。所需存入金额取决于所释放收益的数额。在首次存入60,000元后，乐龄人士可能需根据剩余收益与RA结余进行第二次存入。要符合资格，乐龄人士还必须出售较大的组屋，并购买三房式或更小的组屋。

SHB将简化并加强。乐龄人士只需将收益中的60,000元[1]存入公积金RA即可符合资格。无需第二次存入。他们必须出售较大组屋的要求也将取消。乐龄人士现在只要购买三房式或更小的组屋，并因搬迁而获得收益[2]，即可符合资格。

为更好地支持乐龄人士的退休生活，SHB将从目前的20,000元提高至30,000元。这意味着乐龄人士现在每向公积金RA存入2元，即可获得1元现金花红，而不是每存入3元现金获得1元[3]。

租契回购计划（LBS）的加强

租契回购计划（LBS）的最高花红也将提高至30,000元，以与经修订的SHB对齐。目前，三房式或更小组屋、四房式组屋，以及五房式或更大组屋的屋主，每户分别可获得最高20,000元、10,000元和5,000元的现金花红。最高花红数额将分别提高50%，至30,000元、15,000元和7,500元[4]。

实施

SHB与LBS的加强措施即日起生效。已申请其中一项计划但尚未领取花红者亦可受惠，并可从4月1日起领取加强后的花红。

乐龄人士的替代住屋选择

国家发展部与卫生部一直在研究辅助生活的概念，即将住屋与护理服务整合。去年进行了一系列焦点小组讨论，收集乐龄人士与服务供应商的反馈。

鉴于对辅助生活概念的正面反馈，建屋发展局将于2020年5月在武吉巴督推出这种新组屋类型。该类型将附带服务配套，支持乐龄人士就地养老。

大厦每层将设有大型共用空间，方便居民与邻里聚集。单位面积约32平方米，将配备乐龄友好设施、更大的浴室，以及其他可照顾行动不便者需求的设计。

武吉巴督的试点发展项目将约有160个单位。服务内容、销售条件、指示性组屋价格与付款方式等更多详情，将在未来数周公布。

支援需要直达电梯的家庭

电梯提升计划（LUP）于2001年推出，为居民提供直达组屋单位的电梯服务。计划开始时，有超过5,300座组屋大厦没有全面电梯直达。

多年来，建屋发展局推出创新技术解决方案，为这些大厦提供电梯服务。通过这些努力，这5,300座大厦中的绝大多数已通过LUP获得直达电梯。成功落实的解决方案例子包括不需在电梯井顶部设置机房的电梯（即无机房电梯），以及适合低层大厦的较小“家用电梯”。

目前，仍约有150座大厦因成本过高或场地限制而尚未落实LUP。建屋发展局将继续探索可行方法，包括新技术手段，为这些大厦的居民提供直达电梯。

与此同时，因医疗状况或行动原因而急需直达电梯、居住在这些大厦的居民，将有资格获得最高30,000元的电梯直达住屋津贴（LHG），以帮助他们购买另一套有电梯直达的组屋（即向建屋发展局购买新组屋，或购买转售组屋）。此类居民应联系建屋发展局，建屋发展局将研究如何最好地协助他们。

查询

如有查询，公众可电邮建屋发展局销售/转售部门：hdbsales@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg 或 hdbresale@mailbox.hdb.gov.sg，或通过建屋发展局资讯网（www.hdb.gov.sg/branch）预约建屋发展局分行。

[1] 在加强后的SHB下，收益定义为现有产业的售价，减去现有产业任何未清还贷款、下一套组屋的购价，以及应付的转售征费的总和。

[2] 缩小至组屋的私人产业业主，若其私人产业的年值不超过13,000元，亦可符合资格。

[3] 超出当时适用的全额退休金（FRS）的存入，不会获得任何现金花红。

[4] 乐龄人士须至少存入60,000元，才有资格获得最高LBS花红。超出当时适用的全额退休金（FRS）的存入，不会获得任何现金花红。

发布机构：国家发展部与建屋发展局

日期：2020年3月4日