Observers say the Build-to-Order application rate for a HDB flat is location sensitive. For example, flats that are a five-minute walk to Eunos MRT station saw the highest application rate among all projects launched in HDB's November sale exercise. (Photo: TODAY/Wee Teck Hian)
SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will launch about 17,000 new flats in 2018, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said in a blog post on Thursday (Dec 14).
"For 2018, HDB will maintain a steady supply of about 17,000 new flats, comparable to the 17,584 flats launched in 2017," he wrote.
"Over the course of the coming year, new flat buyers can look forward to a good spread of projects across mature and non-mature estates, including flats in the new Tengah town.
"In the second half of 2018, we will launch about 1,000 flats in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun," he added. "These flats will have shorter waiting times of about 2.5 years, instead of the typical three to four years for most other BTO projects."
He added that the Government would continue to "calibrate our flat supply carefully, taking into account underlying demand and the stability of the HDB resale market".
This year has been "another fruitful year for public housing", said Mr Wong, citing the enhancement of the CPF Housing Grant for first-timer couples as an example of the Government's efforts to help such families move in to their homes more quickly.
About 6,900 first-timer households have benefited from the enhanced grant, he said, while about 840 households have received higher Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme rent subsidies.
In addition, about 800 households have booked a flat through the first Re-Offer of Balance Flats exercise launched in August.
Source: Channel News Asia
Warming up for a 10 million population folks comprising mostly foreign trash.