SINGAPORE: More than 29,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats will benefit from the next tranche of the Home Improvement Programme, with more than S$407 million (US$304 million) allocated to the upgrading works.
Making the announcement on Sunday (Feb 16), Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said the programme will be extended to another 371 blocks.
This will bring the total number of flats selected for the programme to 494,000, or nine in 10 eligible flats since the programme was launched in 2007, he added.
The selected flats are in Bedok, Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Chua Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Pasir Ris, Queenstown, Sengkang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands, said HDB in a separate press release.
Households selected for the programme can also for senior-friendly fittings including foldable shower seats, handrails at flat entrances with steps, grab bars and slip-resistant treatment for bathroom floor tiles.
This is part of the Enhancement for Active Seniors, or EASE programme, which was expanded last year to include more senior-friendly fittings.
About 29,000 households have applied for the updated programme so far, said Mr Lee, describing the take-up rate as "very encouraging".
The Home Improvement Programme aims to address common maintenance issues that arise due to wear and tear in older flats.
The government has spent about S$4 billion on the programme as of Mar 31, 2024, said HDB.
The programme comprises two types of improvement works — essential improvements and optional improvements.
Essential improvements ensure that the basic safety needs of residents staying in older flats are met, and are fully funded by the government for Singapore citizen households.
These include repairing spalling concrete, replacing waste or soil discharge stacks, replacing pipe sockets with new clothes drying rack and upgrading the electrical load.
Optional improvements are "heavily subsidised" by the government, and Singapore citizen households pay as low as five per cent of the cost, depending on the type of HDB flat.
Such improvements include upgrading the existing toilets or bathrooms, installing new entrance doors and gates, and replacing the refuse chute hopper.
'"As our homes and estates age over time, they naturally encounter higher wear and tear," said Mr Lee.
"As government, we are committed to refreshing, rejuvenating and improving our older estates and our older homes, to ensure that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy a high-quality living environment."
| Town | Location of Selected Flats |
|---|---|
| Bedok | Blocks 633 to 649 Bedok Reservoir Road/Jalan Tenaga |
| Bukit Batok | Blocks 623 to 628 and 297 to 299 Bukit Batok Central/Street 22 |
| Bukit Merah | Blocks 6, 122, 123 and 125 Kim Tian Road |
| Bukit Panjang | Blocks 501 to 512 Jelapang Road |
| Chua Chu Kang | Blocks 429 to 441 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 Blocks 601 to 616 Choa Chu Kang Street 62 Blocks 617 to 621 and 625 to 627 Choa Chu Kang Nth 7/Street 62 Blocks 784 to 792 Choa Chu Kang Drive/Nth 6 |
| Hougang | Blocks 567 to 580 Hougang Street 51/Avenue 4 |
| Jurong West | Blocks 345 to 355 Kang Ching Road/Corporation Drive Blocks 701 to 710 Jurong West Street 71 Blocks 854 to 866 Jurong West Street 81 Blocks 687 to 696 Jurong West Central 1 |
| Pasir Ris | Blocks 130 to 137 Pasir Ris Street 11 Blocks 252 to 257 and 266 to 275 Pasir Ris Street 21 Blocks 138 to 161 Pasir Ris Street 11/13 Blocks 626 to 633 and 642 to 651 Pasir Ris Drive 3/10 Blocks 634 to 641 Pasir Ris Drive 1 Blocks 601 to 615 Elias Road Blocks 570 to 586 Pasir Ris Street 53 |
| Queenstown | Blocks 80 to 83 Strathmore Avenue |
| Sengkang | Blocks 133 to 141 Rivervale Street |
| Tampines | Blocks 324 to 337 Tampines Street 32 Blocks 842B, 842C, 842D, 842E, 842F, 842G, 842H, 856B, 856C, 856D, 856E, and 856F Tampines Street 82 Blocks 338 to 343 and 345 to 351 Tampines Street 33 Blocks 497A, 497B, 497C, 497D, 497F, 497G, 497H, 497J, 498A, 498B, 498D, 498E, 498F, 498G, 498H, 498J, 498L and 498M Tampines Street 45 |
| Toa Payoh | Blocks 153A, 153 to 156, 171, 172, 172A, 97, 99A, 99B, 99C, 101A and 101B Lorong 1/2/3 Toa Payoh |
| Woodlands | Blocks 891A, 891B, 892A, 892B, 893A, 893B, 893C, 893D, 894A, 894B, 894C and 894D Woodlands Drive 50 Blocks 728 to 743 Woodlands Circle Blocks 721 to 727 Woodlands Circle/Avenue 6 |
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