Concerned residents talk to Pritam Singh about rising prices of HDB resale flats

While on a visit to the Compassvale ward in Sengkang GRC this week, residents spoke to Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh about various issues, including higher housing costs.

The Leader of the Opposition wrote in a Tuesday (Aug 30) night Facebook post that the visit “reinforced concerns from many younger Singaporeans and their parents about the upward trajectory of HDB resale flats prices – the logical next option when you can’t get your BTO flat of choice.”

Mr Singh said that WP Members of Parliament would continue to monitor the prices of HDB flats closely.

He spoke in Parliament last March concerning HDB Priority Schemes for the purchase of new BTO (Build To Order) flats, identifying couples who are newly married or have children to be considered as a priority group for allocating HDB flats.

Mr Singh added that HDB announced last week that more flats would be set aside for first-time homebuyers “in view of strong housing demand from this group and to increase their chances of securing their first homes.”

In a Bloomberg interview in June, Liu Thai Ker, the man behind Singapore’s Housing Development Board who is also known as “the architect of modern Singapore” expressed concerns over Singapore’s high property prices.

More and more properties in Singapore costing millions of dollars have been reported, as the property market has gotten pricier.

“I do worry that nowadays, public housing prices is really a business venture than actually solving the housing need. I feel that the implication may not be very good for the economic development of Singapore,” Mr Liu said.

Mr Singh also wrote in his Facebook post that the house visits “saw a mix of both local and national issues that were well-received. 

The local feedback will be channeled to the Sengkang Town Council team while the national issues will be looked into by the MPs.”

The WP chief also wrote that he had spoken to a Compassvale cat-lover who goes out of his way to feed one of the community cats, and noted as well those who clear up after the cats have eaten.

“At the end, a little give and take is the magic ingredient in making our homes and precincts special. Like all things in life, some consideration between residents goes a long long way, and glad to this spirit in Sengkang.” /TISG

Pritam Singh helps with Eunos aunty’s hoarder issue; thanks foreign workers, local cleaners who do the heavy lifting in such cases