http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/...flats-20150214

Appeals by private property owners to buy HDB flats

Published on Feb 14, 2015 1:48 AM


NEARLY 40 per cent of appeals by Singapore citizens and permanent residents to buy a Housing Board flat while holding on to private property have been approved in the past two years.

Of the 1,587 appeals received, 486 came from those who owned private property in Singapore, and 1,101 from those who had property overseas.

A total of 606 appeals were approved, all of which were from Singapore citizens.

Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said this in Parliament yesterday in response to questions by Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC).

Mr Ang also asked what criteria are used in deciding an appeal.

Mr Lee replied that HDB assesses each appeal on a case-by-case basis.

"For example, if a resident has extenuating circumstances such as financial hardship and needs to buy an HDB flat while the private property is undergoing a mortgage sale - this could be a circumstance that would be looked into," he said.

AMIR HUSSAIN