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To date, close to 381,000 flats have been upgraded under the HIP.
February 16, 2025, 04:33 PM
Over 29,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats will be upgraded under the HDB Home Improvement Programme (HIP), the HDB announced in a Press Release dated Feb. 16.
The flats selected are located island-wide, including in Woodlands, Pasir Ris, Sengkang, and Queenstown.
Over S$407 million has been allocated for these upgrading works.
Improving living conditions of older flats
Implemented in 2007, HIP improves the living conditions of older flats and addresses common maintenance issues that arise due to wear and tear.
Two components of work under the HIP are the Essential Improvements, which ensure the basic safety needs of residents in older flats are met, and the Optional Improvements, which give flat owners the flexibility to choose the optional improvement items they would like to include during the upgrading process.
The Essential Improvements are fully funded by the government, while the Optional Improvements are heavily subsidised by the Government, with residents paying as low as five per cent of upgrading cost.
To date, 494,000 flats, or nine in 10 eligible flats have been selected for HIP, and close to 381,000 flats have been upgraded.
As of Mar. 31. 2024, S$4 billion has been spent on HIP.
Senior-friendly fittings
Residents whose flats have been selected for HIP can also opt to install senior-friendly fittings including grab bars, ramps, handrails at flat entrances with steps, and slip-resistant treatment to toilet or bathroom floor tiles under the EASE programme.
These fittings are also offered to residents living in blocks that do not qualify for HIP.
The EASE programme is heavily subsidised by the government, covering up to 95 per cent of the upgrading cost.
As of Jan. 31, 2025, about 340,000 households have benefitted from the EASE programme since its launch in 2012.
“Many residents who have gone through the HIP have expressed their appreciation for the improvement works to their homes,” Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said.
“Some have even organised their own HIP block parties to celebrate the completion and more importantly to thank the contractors and workers for their hard work and efforts in refreshing their home and neighbourhood.”
Top image via Canva