PURCHASE OF HDB FLATS (Relaxation of waiting period for private house owners)

Mr Chin Harn Tong asked the Minister for National Development if the Housing and Development Board will consider relaxing wholly or partially the requirement for owner-occupiers of private housing units to wait for two-and-a-half years after the sale of their only private property before they can purchase HDB flats, if they are senior citizens without children or living apart from their children or, alternatively, permitting former owner-occupiers of private housing units to rent HDB flats in the meantime.

Dr Lee Boon Yang (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, senior citizens who are owner-occupiers of private property can apply to purchase HDB flats upon selling their properties provided they satisfy the following criteria:

(i) they have retired and are unemployed.

(ii) they sold their only properties in order to use the proceeds to support themselves.

Such senior citizens need not wait for 2(r) years to buy flats except that they are only allowed to purchase a HUDC flat or a resale flat in the open market or a new HDB flat in the outer sub-urban estates and new towns. If they wish to rent rather than buy a HDB flat, their request can also be considered by the Board.