Update on HDB Sale of Balance Flat Exercises

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) to date, what is the total number of flats available under the Sale of Balance Flats programme; (b) what is the breakdown of these flats by flat types and the number of units at each location; and (c) whether HDB will consider conducting a Sale of Balance Flats exercise at each quarter of the year instead of twice a year.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (for the Minister for National Development): Madam, HDB currently has about 10,000 balance flats. About 3,000 units are in the mature estates. About 4,000 units are 3-room and smaller flats. We plan to release them in two batches of about 5,000 units each. This will offer more choices of flat types in various locations and give applicants a better chance of success, for each exercise. Nonetheless, we will review and fine-tune the marketing plan to see how best to complement the BTO exercises and support a stable housing market.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Can HDB make available such information as soon as possible, and also instead of twice yearly, can HDB conduct these sales quarterly so that the applicants can plan ahead?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Madam, as mentioned earlier, the current practice to offer BTO flats twice a year is to make sure we can consolidate a larger pool of flats to be made available. If we do this quarterly, then the number of flats will be lesser, and the choices or options for applicants would be lower. Nonetheless, as mentioned, we will continue to review and fine-tune this process to make sure that it continues to support this stable housing market that we have.

3.00 pm

Mdm Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 23-25 and 28-32 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix*. Question Nos. 26-27 and 33 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 13 February 2015.]