VACANT ONE- AND TWO-ROOM FLATS IN ANSON CONSTITUENCY

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development (a) if the Housing and Development Board will give, block by block, (i) the numbers of one-room and two -room flats that are vacant in the Anson Constituency and (ii) the periods they have been vacant, splitting the periods into three-monthly intervals; and (b) what the HDB proposes to do with these vacant flats.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: As at 30 June 1986, there are 1,743 units of one- and two-room rental flats in Anson Constituency, of which 419 units (24%) are vacant. The details of the vacant units and the period of void are shown in Annexure A (Cols. 209 - 210). Annexure A - DETAILS OF THE VACANT 1 & 2-ROOM RENTAL FLATS AND THE PERIOD OF VOID IN ANSON CONSTITUENCY (Cols. 209 - 210)

With the improvement in the incomes and standards of living of Singaporeans and with the assistance given by Government, more and more tenants are leaving rental flats to become home owners. As soon as the majority of the units in such blocks become vacant, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will transfer the remaining tenants to other blocks to allow the vacated blocks to be demolished for redevelopment. A detailed programme will be announced when it is finalised.