HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD (Allocation of flats nearest to applicants' places of work)

Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will ascertain from the Housing and Development Board what steps are being taken by the Board to ensure that applicants for the Board's flats are allocated flats in estates that are nearest to their places of work.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, at the time of registration, applicants are asked to state their choice of localities and order of preference. Allocations are made accordingly and wherever possible allocations are made of flats in estates of choice. However, difficulties a rise when applicants begin to apply for flats in housing estates that are already fully occupied.

There is also the difficulty of more popular areas where, because of land limitations, only a few blocks are built and the supply cannot meet the demand. Under such circumstances, the applicants will have to wait for casual vacancies which are few and far between, and they have to wait for a considerable time.

On occasion, the Board allocates to such applicants new flats that may not be too far from the locality of the applicants' choice, but often such allocations are rejected.