http://www.straitstimes.com/Insight/...ry_443206.html
October 17, 2009 Saturday
The great public housing debate
Insight examines the six most hotly debated issues among house-hunters today
By Tan Hui Yee, Correspondent
THE financial gloom has barely lifted, and economic uncertainties still cloud the horizon, and yet prices of resale HDB flats have hit an all-time high.
Home-seekers priced out of resale flats have jammed queues for new flats, prompting the Housing Board to ramp up its supply of new flats for the coming months.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has assured the public that there are enough affordable flats for everyone, but stressed that home-seekers have to manage their expectations about getting a home in a prime location.
The voices of discontent, however, refuse to go away. Critics have accused the HDB of profiting from the sale of flats and blamed the growing number of permanent residents for pushing up home prices.
Just how valid are these views? Insight scrutinises the statistics and asks the experts to weigh in on six of the most common complaints.
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