Offer cheaper flats with a condition - sell them back to HDB

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 24, 2011
Offer cheaper flats with a condition - sell them back to HDB
IN HER letter, Ms Chen Xinyi argued that restricting resale of three-room flats to only low-income earners, and pegging resale prices to the original sales price plus the annual inflation rate will disadvantage current as well as future three-room home owners, as they will be unable to leverage on capital gains from the asset to upgrade to a larger flat ('Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work'; last Thursday).

Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 20, 2011
Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work
I AM dismayed by MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Zainudin Nordin's suggestion to restrict the resale of three-room flats to only low-income earners and peg resale prices to the original sales price plus the annual inflation rate ('Call to re-look pricing of new flats'; Tuesday).

More people living in rental flats

More people living in rental flats
Trend due to widening income gap and growing number of lonely seniors
The Straits Times - August 21, 2011; By: Daryl Chin
More people living in rental flats
For the past 18 years, Mr Adam Teo's home has been a two-room rental flat in Toa Payoh, littered with books, toys and clothes.
Moreover, the 24-year-old is now his family's sole breadwinner, supporting his mother and two younger siblings.

Bring back rental flats in big way

Bring back rental flats in big way
Letter from Chia Hern Keng
04:46 AM May 17, 2011
May I suggest that the Government consider restoring the HDB rental system in a big way. During the early days of this nation, this was how many Singaporeans were adequately housed when they were resettled from kampungs. One-, two- and three-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats were rented out to those who could not buy.

What WP should have advocated for housing

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Apr 29, 2011
What WP should have advocated for housing
I REFER to Mr Ng Kok Lim's response ("Asset enhancement affects future generations too"; Wednesday) to my letter ("WP's plan leaves home owners vulnerable"; April 21).

Asset enhancement affects future generations too

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Apr 27, 2011
Asset enhancement affects future generations too
MADAM Shirley Chng cautions against pegging new flat prices to median income ("WP's plan leaves home owners vulnerable"; last Thursday).

WP's plan leaves home owners vulnerable

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Apr 21, 2011
WP's plan leaves home owners vulnerable
AS 85 per cent of Singaporeans own HDB flats, I would advise caution in considering the Workers' Party (WP) proposal to peg new HDB flat prices to median income ('WP's policy proposals'; April 10).
The WP plan may seriously affect home owners who are forced to resell their flats, for which they paid a lot, because of a personal downturn.

(03/10) MBT: Comm of Supply debate

Source:  http://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/speeches/speeches_2010_M_05032010_COS02a.htm
Speeches
SPEECH BY MR MAH BOW TAN, MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AT COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY DEBATE, 05 MARCH 2010, 6:00 PM AT PARLIAMENT

Aim of public housing policy

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Apr 25, 2011
Aim of public housing policy
BOTH the People's Action Party and Workers' Party have focused their arguments on prices of HDB flats, but failed to address the most fundamental issue of public housing policy, which is to provide housing to all citizens, regardless of marital or financial status.

Asset enhancement works only with a second home

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Apr 21, 2011
Asset enhancement works only with a second home
I REFER to Mr Tan Jiaqi's letter on Monday ('Perils of asset enhancement for younger Singaporeans').
Assuming that a home is a necessity to a family, the family's asset is not really appreciating as other home prices are rising in tandem. Only when the family acquires a second home can it be truly said that the asset is appreciating in value?

Govt deserves due credit, but what's the endgame?

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Apr 21, 2011
Govt deserves due credit, but what's the endgame?
I REFER to Monday's letter by Mr Tan Jiaqi ('Perils of asset enhancement for younger Singaporeans').
While it is true that many Singaporeans have benefited from the People's Action Party's policy of 'asset enhancement', it was not that obvious a policy back in the 60s to the early 80s as I know of no records available of such a policy being articulated and deliberately pursued.

Perils of asset enhancement for younger Singaporeans

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Apr 18, 2011
Perils of asset enhancement for younger Singaporeans
NATIONAL Development Minister Mah Bow Tan stressed the policy of keeping prices of new HDB flats pegged to resale market prices, and said there was nothing wrong in giving Singaporeans an asset that grew in value over time ('WP's housing proposal irresponsible, says Mah'; last Friday).

Better an affordable home, than asset enhancement

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Apr 21, 2011
Better an affordable home, than asset enhancement
THE Government argues that by enhancing the value of HDB homes (read: increasing the prices of homes), it gives a valuable asset to Singaporeans and a stake in the country ('WP's housing proposal irresponsible, says Mah'; April 15).