Upcoming Home Improvement Programme Plans for HDB Flats in Nee Soon

47 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the upcoming plans for HDB's Home Improvement Programme in Nee Soon GRC; and (b) whether the programme will include the sealing-off of air-conditioner ducts as the plywood rots after some years.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) was introduced in 2007 with about 300,000 eligible flats. To date, HIP has been announced for about 220,000 flats. For Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency, there remain about 8,000 HIP-eligible flats. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) expects to complete the selection of the remaining HIP-eligible flats by financial year (FY) 2018. The next nomination exercise to select blocks to undergo HIP is scheduled to take place in early FY2017.

With regard to the air-conditioner ducts, these are timber panels provided in older HDB blocks to facilitate installation of air-conditioners. There are currently no plans to include the repair of these panels under the HIP's scope of works. As these fall under common property, residents can approach the respective Town Councils for help in replacing decayed panels or make their own arrangements to seal up these panels.