http://m.todayonline.com//singapore/...ats-foreigners
SINGAPORE — To prevent the formation of “foreigner enclaves” at Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, the number of HDB flats that can be wholly sublet to foreigners will now be capped at 8 per cent and 11 per cent at the neighbourhood and block level, respectively.
The HDB said today (Jan 16) that the new quota will be imposed with immediate effect and applies to Permanent Residents and foreigners, but excludes Malaysians, “who can better integrate into our estates due to their cultural and historical similarities with Singaporeans”.
This follows an announcement by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan last year that that a cap would be imposed to maintain the Singaporean character of the heartlands.
Currently, less than 4 per cent of HDB flats are sublet to foreigners, excluding Malaysians. But the HDB added that the proportion have gone up to 9 per cent in some areas, or even 18 per cent in some blocks.
The new quota however, will not apply to the subletting of rooms. This is to reduce the impact on people who rely on subletting for additional income, such as the elderly and the low-income households, noted the HDB.
“This aims to maintain the Singapore character of our HDB heartlands while balancing the housing and subletting needs of citizens and foreigners in Singapore,” said the HDB.
Members of the public can now visit the new e-Service available on the HDB website to check if a particular flat can be sublet to foreigners. The HDB added that the information will be updated on the first day of every month.
This new quota will then be applicable to new applicants and all flat subletting applications currently received by the HDB.
Meanwhile, flat owners who are currently subletting their whole flat with the HDB’s approval can continue to do so for the remaining approved subletting duration. Any subsequent application once the existing approval expires or is terminated will be subjected to the new policy.
For flat owners who already sublet their flats to Singaporean or Malaysian subtenants but wish to include foreign subtenants thereafter will also have to adhere to the new quota.
The HDB added that unauthorised subletting of HDB units will be considered a serious infringement of the lease and penalties can include a fine and the compulsory acquisition of the flat.