Innovative Solutions for HDB Flats to Ensure Direct Lift Access to Every Floor Despite Flat Design

15 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development of the HDB blocks that have undergone the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) (a) how many blocks are fitted with machine room-less elevators and bubble lifts to provide direct lift access to such flats; and (b) what is the average cost for the adoption of such innovative technical solutions computed on the basis of per directly-benefiting unit.

16 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development for units in the 150 HDB blocks that do not have direct lift access and are currently unable to benefit from the Lift Upgrading Programmme (LUP) due to technical or costs reasons, whether HDB will consider buying back such flats from eligible flat owners who face genuine difficulties in selling their flats due to the lack of direct lift access, similar to the buyback assistance scheme for flat owners constrained by the Ethnic Integration Policy.

The Minister of State for National Development (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 15 and 16 together?

Mr Speaker: Yes, please.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Under the Lift Upgrading Programme, or LUP, about 270 HDB blocks were provided with bubble lifts or machine room-less lifts. For most of these blocks, the cost of providing the lifts was within the LUP cost cap. For some blocks, HDB exercised some flexibility and went beyond the LUP cost cap, so that all the residents in these blocks would be able to have direct lift access. This notwithstanding, providing lifts for some of the remaining 150 blocks without full direct lift access today will be very costly – in some cases, more than $200,000 per household, enough to buy another HDB flat.

For these blocks, HDB will continue to explore new methods to bring down LUP costs, as well as alternatives to improve accessibility for residents living in flats without direct lift access.

In the meantime, residents living in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or mobility reasons, are eligible for the Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000 when they buy another flat with direct lift access. As with all flat owners, when they take possession of another flat, they are given a grace period of six months to dispose of their existing flat. HDB’s data shows that, generally, those who have purchased another flat with the LHG have no issue selling their existing flat.

Should the flat owners need more time to dispose of their existing flat, HDB can grant an extension of time on a case-by-case basis. Flat owners who need further assistance can approach HDB and HDB will see how best to assist them.

Mr Speaker: Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): Thank you, Speaker. Out of the 150 blocks in the whole of Singapore that are segmented, 20% of those, or 30 blocks, are within the Keat Hong ward of the Chua Chu Kang GRC in my constituency. The flats and blocks are more than 30 years old and some of the residents are elderly and I know of one resident of mine who has an adult child who is a stroke patient whom he carries up and down the stairs every time he needs to get to medical appointments. The real distress is there for residents having lived there for many years.

I have two questions for the Minister of State. First, whether HDB can consider a different way to assess what is and what is not a benefiting unit for the purposes of an LUP. Because, if you think about it, there are other units that may actually benefit from LUP in the event of a lift breakdown, for example.

The second question: I appreciate the answer just now by the Minister of State that HDB is still exploring further solutions, but can HDB determine whether there are any feasible technical solutions conclusively and quickly? And if none is forthcoming, can HDB consider other solutions like purchasing the flat and repurposing it for interim public rental housing, for instance, where the tenants are on a revolving basis and are younger? I ask this because the residents have waited 30 years for LUP and some of them may not survive to wait another 10 more.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question and also for his suggestion. If we look at how we have been doing LUP, we have always only considered the units that do not have direct lift access as the benefiting units of the LUP, since the cost of the LUP has always been shared amongst these units only.

LUP polls have also always been conducted only among these benefiting units.

The current method of counting only the units without direct lift access as benefiting units may thus be, in our view, a cleaner approach. Nevertheless, as I have shared earlier, we thank the Member for his suggestion. We will continue to look at ways to bring down LUP costs and alternatives to improve accessibility of residents living without direct lift access. If the Member has residents who are facing such an issue, I would like to urge the Member to raise it with HDB. He can approach the HDB branch office. We will do our best to explore ways to help the family and the household.