Quote:
Originally Posted by Son of Singapore  |
Until and unless HDB flat prices come down to a 'decent level' there ought to be a moratorium on the renting out of a whole HDB flat.
This is because Public Housing ought to remain public, meaning for the good of Singaporeans and whomsoever is granted PR status.
Rich Singaporeans who are staying in pte housing and renting out their HDB flat are hogging public apartments at the expense of poorer Singaporeans who can ill afford public housing, since many such apartments are not appropriately used as citizens housing but as rental houses for profit (foreigners being the principle tenants I believe).
The renting out by SG owners of whole HDB flats would have been acceptable during a period of HDB flat glut, but where such public housing is in short supply (to the extent of impacting upon public housing affordability and thus national birth rates), then the time has come, I think, for a policy change that bars such practice.
(A family may however be allowed to own BOTH pte and HDB properties- but given their wish to participate in a public housing scheme, the family MUST stay in the HDB property so long as they own it- participating in the public scheme, the said family then CANNOT have any other property benefiting from the 'owner occupied' discounted property tax scheme- the HDB address should be stated on their IC and it is to this address that ALL legal/ govt correspondence be sent- failing which, a forced auction of the HDB flat to qualified bidders should be enforced.)
No participant in a public housing scheme should be so distanced from the 'Public Housing' concept that he should whilst living in a state of excess, exploit a limited, 'subsidized' public housing scheme for personal financial gain.
One cannot have one's cake and eat it. A family enjoying pte living benefits from BOTH i) property tax discounts for owner occ. property (pte property) ii) rental profit from the renting out their whole HDB flat (property tax even at full rate is nominal because of govt policy/ discounts etc).
Additional legislature should HDB flat supply still NOT meet population demands would be to restrict the size of HDB flat owned to 'the number of registered inhabitants + 3 rooms'. i.e a single registered 'occupant' may only own an up to 4 room apt etc. (some time exceptions/ concessions may be given to families with deceased members to comply)- this would ensure that all HDB flats are optimally used. Only Citizens and PRs can be reg as 'occupant(s)', foreigners have to be reg as 'tenants' and their numbers do NOT count towards ownership right to a HDB flat for a larger size.
Post script:
- The BAR on renting out of full HDB flats would ensure that ALL foreigners to SG are able to either (i) stay with a Singaporean in a HDB flat (contribute financially to Singaporean family and 'integrate' as well), or, (ii) are of a talent and income sufficient to deserve private housing.
Reference:
- [TR22Jun2010]: 'YPAP leader and new citizen Sinha Shekhar complains about low rent of his resale HDB flat' [link]
Posted to:
A1 forum:
18Aug2010: YPAP leader and new citizen Sinha Shekhar complains about low rent of his resale
SG forums:
18Aug2010: Current property price wil 'reduce' birth rate of Singaporean
18Aug2010: Ridiculous HDB Prices
TR:
18Aug2010: Mah Bow Tan blames Singaporeans for strong demand in public housing
'REACH'
18Aug2010: Is HDB very ridiculous?
HWZ:
18Aug2010: [ST News] 'Imbalance' in resale HDB
18Aug2010: Our Nightmare coming true.....HDB flat hitting 1 million soon?
18Aug2010: [edmw] 'Buy a flat you can afford' Minister Mah Bow Tan
SGclub:
18Aug2010: 'Buy a flat you can afford'
CNA:
18Aug2010: 'Buy a flat you can afford'
S Boy:
18Aug2010: Moratorium on the renting out of a whole HDB flat
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