SINGAPORE: With Polling Day approaching, housing has once again taken centre stage in Singapore's political debate, prompting parties to unveil a range of proposals aimed at easing public concerns.

CNA looks at the key measures from the major contesting parties that have released their manifestos, on how they intend to tackle issues ranging from the waiting time for Build-to-Order (BTO) flats, affordability of public housing and the age criteria for the Singles’ scheme.

The People’s Alliance for Reform, which is contesting the joint-fourth-highest number of seats, has not released its manifesto. 

PEOPLE’S ACTION PARTY

• Build more than 50,000 new flats over the next three years and increase the number of flats with shorter waiting time. 
• More public housing options for higher-income couples and singles.
• Keep flats in choice locations within reach of more applicants, such as new housing estates in Kallang-Whampoa, Bayshore, and Mount Pleasant. 
• Plan for the rejuvenation of Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns through the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS).

WORKERS’ PARTY

• The WP dedicate a section of their manifesto to proposed housing policies for both first-time applicants and long-time home owners.
• For first-timers, the party suggests that the house price-to-income ratio be based on the median income levels of new homeowners, rather than national household median income.
• It proposes that HDB offer 70-year lease BTO flats at a lower price, with the option to top up the lease by another 29 years, as well as a universal buy-back scheme for all ageing HDB flats.
• The WP also calls for transparency on the “terms of reference and assumptions” guiding the chief valuer’s work in the area of land valuation.

RED DOT UNITED

• Make every HDB estate eligible for the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme.
• Expand public rental housing and introduce a rent-to-own scheme for the bottom 20 per cent of income-earners or young, single Singaporeans.
• Restrict permanent residents and new citizens of less than 10 years – except those who have completed National Service – from purchasing resale flats with less than 79 years of lease remaining.

PROGRESS SINGAPORE PARTY 

• Replace the current BTO scheme with PSP’s Affordable Homes Scheme, where buyers will not pay for land costs unless the flat is sold on the resale market.
• Allow singles to buy BTO flats and resale flats from the age of 28.
• Introduce a Millennial Apartments Scheme where HDB provides young couples and singles with high-quality apartments to rent at affordable rates.
• Build more public flats ahead of demand to reduce waiting time.

SINGAPORE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

• Implement a new Non-Open Market scheme, which will lower public housing prices as the cost of an HDB flat will include only the cost of construction and administration, not land cost.
• Introduce a Young Families Priority Scheme to give balloting priority to first-timer families with children, or couples looking for Sale of Balance Flats or new BTO flats in non-mature estates.
• Allow single-parent families and low-income households to rent flats for two years at a time, without being subject to reviews every few months.