Over 18,000 HDB flats are selected for upgrading under HIP, with over S$253 million set aside

SINGAPORE: More than 18,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats across Singapore have been selected for upgrading under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), with the government setting aside over S$253 million for the works.

The latest round covers 198 HDB blocks across 12 towns, including Bedok, Bukit Batok, Pasir Ris, Tampines, and Woodlands. The programme focuses on older flats facing common wear-and-tear problems such as ceiling leaks and spalling concrete. Residents can also choose optional upgrades ranging from new entrance doors to refuse chute hoppers, with the bulk of the cost covered by the government.

Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah encouraged residents to urge family members, especially seniors, to take up the programme so they can benefit from the heavily subsidised improvements, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (May 16).

Singapore’s housing policies are now adapting to an older population

Singapore’s public housing estates are ageing alongside the population living in them, which has turned programmes like HIP from a basic maintenance effort into something more socially important.

For many households, ageing flats, besides peeling walls or leaking ceilings, are increasingly tied to residents’ mobility, safety, and the ability of elderly residents to continue living independently.

This explains why the accompanying Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme has expanded beyond grab bars and ramps. New additions now include foldable shower seats, rocker switches, home fire alarms and bidet sprays.

Singapore’s housing policies are now adapting to an older population that wants to age in place rather than move elsewhere.

Since its launch in 2007, HIP has covered about 512,000 flats, or roughly nine in 10 eligible units. Nearly 409,000 flats have completed upgrading works. The government has spent around S$5 billion on the programme so far.

Residents pay a small fraction of the cost

One reason HIP remains accepted by residents is the level of subsidy involved. Essential safety improvements are fully paid for by the government for Singaporean households. Optional works are also heavily subsidised.

A resident living in a four-room flat, for example, pays S$899.25 for the full-optional package, while the government covers more than S$11,000. Owners of one-, two- and three-room flats pay even less at S$599.50.

The EASE programme follows a similar structure. A four-room flat owner would pay around S$35.95 for slip-resistant treatment for two toilets, S$21.25 for a single-step ramp and S$39.20 for the first set of grab bars.

That pricing structure lowers the barrier for elderly residents who may otherwise delay upgrades due to cost concerns.

Upgrades are not just for the flats, but the neighbourhoods too

The announcement also came with updates on Singapore’s Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, which upgrades shared spaces outside homes.

According to Ms Indranee, town councils will continue to gather residents’ feedback on the improvements they want in their estates. Last month, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat announced 17 new Neighbourhood Renewal Programme projects worth more than S$130 million, benefiting close to 20,000 households.

Taken together, the programmes are something Singapore rarely says loudly but consistently acts on: older estates are not being left behind.

As newer housing projects grab headlines, these upgrades affect residents already living in mature estates, many of whom have spent decades there. Keeping those homes safe and practical shapes daily life far more than flashy new launches.

Selected towns under the latest HIP batch

The latest HIP selection includes another 198 HDB blocks across 12 towns in:

• Bedok: Blocks 650 to 672 Jalan Tenaga/Jalan Damai

• Bishan: Blocks 288 to 293 Bishan Street 22/24

• Bukit Batok: Blocks 288A to 288G and Blocks 289A to 289G, Bukit Batok Street 25

• Bukit Merah: Blocks 12 to 14 Jalan Bukit Merah and Blocks 35, 36, 38 to 40 Jalan Rumah Tinggi

• Bukit Panjang: Blocks 513 to 532 Jelapang Road

• Choa Chu Kang: Blocks 442 to 448 and Blocks 469 to 474 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3/4

• Jurong West: Blocks 639 to 647 Jurong West Street 61

• Pasir Ris: Blocks 700 to 725 Pasir Ris Drive 10/Street 72

• Sengkang: Blocks 205A, 205B, 205C, 206A, 206B, 206C and 206D Compassvale Lane

• Serangoon: Blocks 543 to 554 Serangoon North Avenue 3

• Tampines: Blocks 352 to 363 Tampines Street 33/34

• Woodlands: Blocks 769 to 779 Woodlands Crescent/Drive 60, Blocks 748 to 763 Woodlands Circle/Avenue 4/6, and Blocks 351 to 371 Woodlands Avenue 1/5

Residents in selected blocks will receive notices from HDB detailing the upgrading process.

Singapore’s housing estates are getting older, and so are the people living in them. Programmes like HIP and EASE solve problems before they become bigger and costlier later, which is usually how effective public housing policy works: practical, gradual and grounded in daily life.