Residents' Concerns that Laundry Rack Designs under Home Improvement Programme may be Impractical and Problematic
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns MP Yip Hon Weng’s inquiry into resident concerns regarding the practicality of laundry rack designs under the Home Improvement Programme and whether the installation is optional. Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat responded that the external retractable clothes drying rack is a non-optional, essential component designed to prevent falling accidents associated with traditional bamboo poles. He explained that the Government fully funds these improvements for Singapore Citizen households and that HDB has already incorporated resident feedback to enhance the rack’s ergonomics and capacity. Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat shared survey results indicating that over 80% of residents find the design safe, while nearly 70% find it easy to use. To support the transition, HDB provides instructional videos and demonstrations to help residents effectively utilize the new drying system.
Transcript
97 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry will look into residents' concerns that laundry rack designs under the Home Improvement Programme may be impractical and problematic; (b) whether residents can opt out of having the new laundry racks; and (c) whether future designs can be developed with inputs from residents to meet their practical needs.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The external retractable clothes drying rack (ER-CDR) was introduced under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) in 2020. This was in view of past fall from height incidents involving usage of bamboo poles laden with wet laundry, and occurrences of falling bamboo poles due to reasons such as strong winds.
With the ER-CDR, residents no longer need to lift heavy laundry loads on bamboo poles out of their windows and slot them into narrow pipe sockets. This is particularly beneficial for seniors and is increasingly important with our ageing population. Furthermore, as the installation of ER-CDR involves adding an external fixture to HDB flats, it is better for HDB to carry out the works across the board in one exercise. Therefore, the ER-CDR is an essential rather than optional component. Essential improvements under the HIP are fully funded by the Government for Singapore Citizen households.
HDB has actively engaged residents undergoing HIP to explain the benefits of the ER-CDR, conducted demonstrations on its proper usage and gathered user feedback. In response to residents' feedback, HDB has made several improvements to the ER-CDR design, including increasing laundry capacity and improving ergonomics of the pole. HDB has also uploaded an instructional video on YouTube to provide residents with a step-by-step guide on using the rack, tips to maximise laundry capacity and advice on how to quickly collect laundry when it rains.
Recent surveys conducted at selected completed HIP precincts showed that over 80% of residents considered the ER-CDR safe, while close to 70% found it easy to use. Some residents noted that they needed time to adjust to this new method of drying laundry. However, many have since adapted and accepted the ER-CDR's design and its benefits.