Cooling-off Period for Re-polling in HDB Blocks That Failed HIP Voting

22 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will formalise a standard cooling-off period and timeline for re-polling in HDB blocks that fail the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) threshold by a margin of three votes or fewer; and (b) what are the reasons for not adopting a simple majority threshold for such essential upgrading works.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: The review of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) voting process is ongoing and will be done in such a way that balances between helping older estates to benefit from the HIP while respecting the decision of flat owners.

Currently, a minimum of 75% support is required from flat owners for HIP to proceed for their block. This is because many of the essential improvement works, such as the replacement of waste pipes, require the works to be carried out within the resident's flat and also affect other residents in the block.