LIFT UPGRADING PROGRAMME

LIFT UPGRADING PROGRAMME:

(Priority for flats with elderly residents): 6.

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB flats do not have lift access on the same floor yet due to the cost of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) going beyond the allocated financial budget and subsidy for each unit; and (b) given the Government's aim to upgrade all flats by 2014, whether the Ministry will consider prioritising the upgrading of blocks which have a disproportionately high number of senior citizens, despite the costs exceeding the budget.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, when the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP)was introduced in 2001, there were

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more than 5,300 blocks that did not have full lift access. Almost 1,000 blocks exceeded the LUP cost cap then and were not eligible for LUP. In other words, that is about one in five not eligible because of cost cap. The cost of lift upgrading could range from $40,000 to more than $120,000 per benefiting unit, depending on the configuration of the blocks or due to site constraints. This cost may be as high as 40% of the value of a typical 3- or 4-room HDB flat. It does not make sense to implement the LUP in such blocks.

Over the years, HDB has introduced innovative and cost effective lift solutions so that more blocks can be eligible for LUP. Some examples are the shaftless lifts, smaller lifts suitable for low-rise blocks, and reconfigured lift access for half landing blocks. Today, we have reduced the number of ineligible blocks to just 200 – from the 1,000 to 200. HDB will continue to actively explore alternative cost-effective solutions so that more blocks can become eligible for LUP.

Mr Christopher de Souza also asked whether the MND would consider prioritising the upgrading of blocks that have a high number of senior citizens. This can be one of the considerations by the Adviser in his nomination of his precincts for LUP. HDB will take this into consideration when selecting blocks for LUP.

Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah): I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply and note that HDB has taken concerted efforts to reduce the 1,000 blocks in her reply to just 200 blocks. I would like to know whether there is any indication from HDB that if among the 200 blocks, where there is a disproportionately high number of elderly citizens living in the blocks, would HDB

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prioritise such blocks such that they move ahead of the rest in the queue.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: I just need to re-emphasise that at this moment we do not have any plans to extend LUP at any cost. So it has to be limited to a certain cost consideration but we are looking for solutions. We hope that we are able to bring solutions to some of these blocks and if they are eligible, obviously if they have a very high number of senior citizens, if the Advisers so suggest and so nominate, HDB will definitely take that into consideration.

* *Mr Zainudin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Supplementary question, Sir. I just would like to know when the $30,000 cap was decided and if it is still relevant in this current time?

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: We look at $30,000 as a general cost guideline and that we have at the very marginal cases exercised some flexibility, especially when cost of construction has gone up significantly, you know, when we had problem with sand supply and so on. We have exercised discretion but, on the whole, it has been a very good and prudent principle to follow because, as we have seen, when construction costs have recovered and come down over the last few months, we have been able to provide LUP to more blocks with the same budget. So we believe that the budget indeed has helped us to allocate precious resources to benefit more HDB residents.