anything pasal HOUSING

Izzana

Originally posted by fatz at 4-2-2007 07:18 PM
takkan la eberi time jln depan rumah dia, dia tengah............

......tengah apa???? Nak kepo sikit ni...

fatz

Originally posted by Izzana at 5-2-2007 12:18 AM


......tengah apa???? Nak kepo sikit ni...

tanya kak B, dia tau

SQ154

Unusual for queue to form before official announcement

SO far, there have been no announcements of any sales exercise, even on the HDB website.
And the first few people in line outside the HDB Hub refused to say why they think a walk-in selection (WIS) was to be held this morning.
The second man in line would only say: 'I'm very happy I'm in the queue. No other comments.'But about 10 people down the line, a woman confessed: 'I'm not confident that there will be a WIS. I'm just queueing in the hope of getting a flat.
And if the WIS turns out to be a rumour?
'If there is no selection, I'll see what the authorities have to say about it.'
ERA assistant vice president Eugene Lim said that once in a while, there will be long queues for WIS or new flats at the HDB Hub, especially if these flats are well-located.
Said Mr Lim: 'But you see these queues only when the Housing Board makes an official announcement.
'In this case, it might be a rumour, but it's certainly uncommon to hear of people queuing for flats which have not been released yet.'
Mr Daniel Chua, a partner at Land+ DC Realty said: 'To my knowledge, HDB has not announced any release of new flats for tomorrow. It's possible that these people heard a rumour and they're just trying their luck.
'But it's the first time I've heard of people queuing when the authorities haven't made any announcements yet.'

SQ154

Went to loo? You're out of queue

Unofficial queue list sparks evening ruckus at HDB

Went to loo? You're out of queue
The list that some self-appointed 'queue cops' made. A ruckus apparently arose after some names were struck off the list.


Went to loo? You're out of queue
The real cops arrive to help maintain order.


RUMOURS about an HDB walk-in selection started spreading like a bad flu virus three nights ago.
And those who caught the bug were soon queueing for a spot outside the Toa Payoh HDB Hub.
The short queue by the taxi stand dispersed after a few hours on Tuesday night.
But on Wednesday night, the hopeful flat-hunters were back.
The queue swelled to more than 100.
That was when some decided to play queue 'cops'.
UNOFFICIAL LIST
While a few kept guard so that there were no queue-jumpers, one woman started an unofficial waiting list, keeping it up to date with regular 'roll calls'.
Those who did not respond were struck off the list as reserving places was not allowed.
But things turned nasty last night when those who were struck off the list tried to re-join the queue.
Voices were raised, vulgarities shouted and a scuffle ensued.
Although no one was hurt, retiree Pang K W, 50, said 'it was a near riot just now.'
NAME-CALLING
Mr Tan K M, 30, an engineer, said some women shouted 'four-letter words' at him and called him names.
One disgruntled flat-hunter, a 37-year-old consultant who would only give his name as Mr Yu said nine people, including himself, had been struck off the list on Wednesday night when they had left the queue briefly to go to the toilet or get a drink.
He said: 'I was number 15 in the queue. But when I returned from a quick trip to the toilet, I was rejected from the queue.
'It seemed they did a 'roll call' when I was away. And the same thing happened to the other eight who had their names cancelled.'
Mr Yu said the 'organiser' then showed him the list with his name crossed out.
He said she was then distracted by another person who wanted to re-join the queue and forgot to take the list back.
'Later, one gentleman chased after me for the list, but I refused to give it to him as it was proof that I had waited in line,' he said.
ANOTHER QUEUE
The people whose name had been struck of the list then formed another queue.
Mr Yu said they tried to 'merge' with the original queue last night and that was when tempers flared.
Said one man: 'There was more than one queue and a group thought that theirs was the 'official' queue. So they started behaving like gangsters.'
'People were shoving and pushing. We don't want trouble. We just want a flat,' said Ms Tan X M, 25, a housewife.
The police arrived before the situation could get ugly.
A police spokesman said: 'We received a call at 7pm informing us of a commotion at HDB Hub. When the police arrived, people were observed to be queuing.
'There were no law and order issues.'
Extra HDB Hub security officers were also dispatched to set up barricades for a queue and to maintain order.
And after all the fuss and trouble, none of the more than 200 people in the queue could say for certain that their wait will be rewarded.
SPECULATION
Mr Lee M H, 28, who had been prepared to join the queue since Tuesday night said: 'It's just speculation!'
Still, he thought nothing of waiting in line for two nights and a day - not knowing if the walk-in selection would indeed take place this morning.
Next to him, Mr Dave Wong, 32, said: 'About 80 of us have been queuing since Wednesday night. I'm number 38 now, but I was number 32 in line at first.'
But not everyone was unhappy with the informal arrangement.
A 26-year-old professional, who gave his name only as Dave, said he and his fiancee had taken urgent leave to join the queue.
He said: 'Most people were satisfied with the organiser. Since no one was taking charge, it was good that someone tried to make sure there was no queue-jumping.
'In future, HDB should do crowd control even though they can't release the official information about the selection.'
Designer Maggie Than, 29, said: 'My sister works nearby and told me about the queue so I came after work today.
'The information I heard is that there many units in the Tiong Bahru, Toa Payoh, Kallang and Ubi area for the selection.
'So I think my chances are quite high even though I'm not in the front of the queue.'
The New Paper understands that HDB will announce a sales launch only on the day of the event through its website and advertisements in the newspapers.

Singaporean well known for Kiasuism.... nie aku rasa mesti ada staff tip off kalau tak mana ada orang tahu....

deaf4ever

Originally posted by SQ154 at 5-2-2007 10:36 PM
Went to loo? You're out of queue Unofficial queue list sparks evening ruckus at HDB



Went to loo ...

dahsyat nye... bleh jadi gaduh kalo cam gini...tak gi HDB, gi lokap lak

Izzana

Originally posted by SQ154 at 5-2-2007 10:36 PM
Went to loo? You're out of queue Unofficial queue list sparks evening ruckus at HDB



Went to loo ...

Mesti orang dlm yang bagi tahu. Usually, only the Sales Dept yang tahu dulu cause they need to prepare all the documents.  Tapi dept lain hanya tahu pun on that day aje.  Jadi...confirm takde orang lain mesti Sales Dept jugak....

SQ154

New Procedure for flat buyers taking an HDB loan takes effect from 1 Jan 07

Flat buyers who intend to obtain an HDB loan to buy a new or resale flat are reminded that with effect from 1 January 2007, they will need to apply for an HDB Loan Eligibility Letter before they can commit to a flat purchase. Further details on the implementation date are attached in Annex A. 2         This new procedure, announced on 13 October 2006, is a further step to inculcate financial prudence and forward planning among HDB flat buyers. With the new procedure, HDB hopes to better help flat buyers understand their financial situation before they commit to a flat purchase. 3         The HDB Loan Eligibility Letter must be obtained before buyers exercise the Option to Purchase for the HDB flat. Resale flat buyers must have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility Letter when submitting their resale applications to the Resale Office. Similarly, those who intend to take over the ownership of an existing HDB flat must have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility Letter when they submit their transfer application to the HDB Branch Office managing their flat 4         The HDB Loan Eligibility Letter will indicate the maximum loan amount that the flat buyer is eligible for and the repayment period and monthly instalments to service the maximum loan. It will be valid for a period of 3 months from the date of issue. 5         Those who intend to take an HDB Loan can apply on-line for the HDB Loan Eligibility Letter via the e-financing package under Quick Links of the HDB website at www.hdb.gov.sg. They can also check their eligibility for an HDB loan at the counters in HDB Hub. 6         Those buying HDB flats with bank loans will have to obtain a Letter of Offer from the bank before they exercise the Option to Purchase for the HDB flat. Those who do not require any home loan to buy the HDB flat will have to produce documentary proof showing that they have the financial means to purchase the flat.

sapa-sapa nak beli flat kena tengok ini....

SQ154

HANYA 1 DALAM 10 GAGAL DAPAT SURAT LAYAK BAGI PINJAMAN HDB
Oleh
Nadzri Eunos

HANYA satu daripada kira-kira 10 permohonan bagi Surat Kelayakan Pinjaman (HLE) untuk mendapatkan pinjaman daripada Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB) ditolak oleh agensi tersebut.

Sebab-sebab penolakan itu ialah kerana para pemohon telah pun memanfaatkan pinjaman HDB sebanyak dua kali; memiliki hartanah privet; atau pendapatan pemohon yang melebihi had yang ditetapkan agensi itu.

Menjawab pertanyaan Berita Harian, HDB mendedahkan sehingga akhir minggu kedua bulan lalu, sekitar 4,400 permohonan telah diterima. Daripada jumlah itu, sekitar 400 permohonan terpaksa ditolak.

Dalam jawapan e-melnya, seorang jurucakap HDB berkata bagi kes-kes yang ditolak, mereka tidak layak sama sekali untuk mendapat kan pinjaman HDB.

'Permohonan mereka akan ditolak meskipun sekiranya mereka tidak perlu mendapatkan HLE.

'Tujuan HLE ialah membantu pembeli flat memahami keadaan kewangan mereka sebelum membuat komitmen untuk membeli sebuah flat.

'Bagi mereka yang tidak layak mendapatkan pinjaman HDB, mereka perlu mohon untuk mendapatkan Surat Tawaran daripada pihak bank atau institusi kewangan jika mereka memerlukan bantuan untuk membeli flat mereka,' jelas jurucakap berkenaan.

Langkah baru itu, yang diumumkan Oktober lalu, adalah langkah lanjutan HDB untuk membantu pembeli memahami keadaan kewangan mereka sebelum membeli flat.

HLE mengandungi maklumat mengenai:



Pinjaman maksimum yang layak diterima pembeli;



Tempoh pembayaran semula; dan



Ansuran bulanan bagi pinjaman tersebut.

Surat kelayakan tersebut perlu diperolehi sebelum pembeli dapat menjalankan Pilihan untuk Membeli bagi flat mereka.

Pembeli flat jual semula juga harus mendapatkan HLE yang sah sebelum menghantar permohonan mereka kepada pejabat HDB.

Keperluan ini juga dikenakan ke atas mereka yang ingin mengambil alih pemilikan flat.

Surat tersebut sah selama tempoh tiga bulan daripada tarikh ia dikeluarkan.

Pihak awam boleh memohon surat tersebut di laman web www.hdb.gov.sg di bawah bahagian Quick Links (e-financing package) atau di kaunter HDB Hub.

Untuk keterangan lanjut, sila hubungi talian 1800-866-3066 atau 1800-225-5432.

deaf4ever

Aku rasa barang2 dorang dah kena congkong..
pasal dah kena ganti ngan bangku all that, mesti ada niat tak baik la some people...$17,000 value hilang.

Tapi pindah rumah Spore gi Sydney nak bawak tv apahal, beli la baru kat sana sekali eh...

Shock for couple who pack for move from S'pore to Sydney. Now, movers can't be reached We lost $17,000 in moving mystery SHOCK #1: Box for 32-inch LCD TV has wooden planks and styrofoam instead SHOCK #2: Box for computer has broken stool and corrugared cardboard instead By Tan Mae Lynn February 22, 2007

THEY were about to start a new life in Australia. Last October, this couple packed their belongings here into 27 boxes and shipped them to Sydney. [size=-2]Mr and Mrs Hartawan at the mover's office, which was locked, earlier this month. -- KUA CHEE SIONG But some of their things didn't make it there. Instead, they claimed, the box that was supposed to contain their 32-inch LCD television was filled with wooden planks. And in the box they thought contained their desktop computer was an old broken stool. But when they tried to contact the movers, they claim that the premises were locked and that they couldn't talk to any of the staff. A Singapore permanent resident, Mr R Hartawan, 34, and his Singaporean wife claim that they've lost about $17,000 worth of goods. Mrs E Hartawan, 29, said: 'That's just the value of some of our belongings that were lost. There were other personal items like photographs and memorabilia that are priceless.' The LCD TV alone cost the couple about $3,000. They bought it less than a year ago. Their desktop computer cost them about $2,000, they said. Besides that, they also lost a home theatre system worth over $1,000. The box which they had packed it in never arrived, they claimed. They allege that someone had replaced their prized possessions with junk and stolen other items which were part of their shipment. They have since lodged police reports both here and in Australia. Mr Hartawan, an IT consultant, and his wife decided to move to Sydney last year because he was offered a job there. Last September, they began looking around for movers. They narrowed the search to four companies and, in the end, decided to go with one which impressed them the most - even though it was not the cheapest. Mr Hartawan said: 'We decided to go with them because their presentation was very impressive. 'They had their own trucks and claimed to have a Sydney office. We thought that it would be safer and more convenient if there was a local presence there. 'But as it turned out, it wasn't a local branch. It was just an agent they used.' We are not naming the company for legal reasons. The couple's shipment was supposed to arrive in early December last year. They didn't get any of their things till the middle of last month, they claimed. Mrs Hartawan, who quit her job as an IT account manager here to accompany her husband, said: 'The first box we opened was supposed to be packed with our computer, but when we opened it, it was filled with empty cartons. 'Our first thought was that maybe that box was sent to the wrong place. But when we looked deeper, there was a broken stool inside.' They began to panic, she said. Mrs Hartawan said: 'We quickly opened the other boxes. In the box that was supposed to contain our LCD TV, there were a few wooden planks.' Looking back, Mr Hartawan said they noticed that when the movers arrived at their home at River Valley, they marked the boxes with numbers and other details. He said: 'They wrote on the box the items that were inside. I didn't question them at the time because I thought it was usual practice. 'I had to provide the insurance company with the items that we were shipping.' SMALLER ITEMS LOST What puzzled them even more is that among the items lost were smaller things like toiletries and even sanitary napkins. When they tried to make an insurance claim, they said the company informed them that the movers they engaged failed to pay the premiums, and as such, their loss was not covered. They flew back to Singapore on 30 Jan to lodge a police report against the company. During their one week here, they even tried to look for the company at their listed office address in Geylang, but failed to find anyone at the premises, which were locked. The couple have since returned to Sydney. The New Paper also tried to contact the company, but the telephone number was 'temporarily out of service'. Calls to the handphones of both the sales manager and the person-in-charge went unanswered. Both numbers seem to have been disconnected. A check with the Consumer Association of Singapore (Case) showed that there were 14 complaints lodged against this same moving company last year. To date this year, there have been seven complaints. (See report above.) The police confirmed that a report has been lodged and that they are investigating the case.

Browneyes

kalau dia tahu barang dia nak hilang, kau rasa dia panggil mover tu ke?

deaf4ever

Originally posted by Browneyes at 26-2-2007 11:05 PM
kalau dia tahu barang dia nak hilang, kau rasa dia panggil mover tu ke?

dia caya betul ngah mover tu gaknye...

ni jenis tolak 100% kasi mover settle

tapi aku masih tak paham, apsal susah2 angkut tv tu semua, gi australia beli baru la

yang lama tu jual or sedekah kat aku ke

Browneyes

Originally posted by deaf4ever at 26-2-2007 11:14 PM


dia caya betul ngah mover tu gaknye...

ni jenis tolak 100% kasi mover settle

tapi aku masih tak paham, apsal susah2 angkut tv tu semua, gi australia beli baru la

yang lama tu jual or ...

mungkin dia jenis selagi boleh save dia save...

mana boleh pakai bawak lah...

tapi tu mover celaka besar lah... tak amanah

deaf4ever

Originally posted by Browneyes at 26-2-2007 11:21 PM

mungkin dia jenis selagi boleh save dia save...

mana boleh pakai bawak lah...

tapi tu mover celaka besar lah... tak amanah

kesian eh indonesia tu dua orang, kot2 dalam computer ada simpan gambar2 konfidential

Browneyes

Originally posted by deaf4ever at 26-2-2007 11:41 PM



kesian eh indonesia tu dua orang, kot2 dalam computer ada simpan gambar2 konfidential

hee hee

jualan vcd lucah kat interchange

deaf4ever

ni yang smalam tu makcik tu pasang tempat jemur kain tu...

gambo dia





cerita dia lak

Singapura : 28 Februari 2007
	Mudah cetak	| E-mel

MASALAH MELANDA GARA-GARA KONTRAK PASANG PENYIDAI BAJU Oleh Shamsul Jangarodin SANGKANYA apabila beliau membeli penyidai baju aluminium, ia akan memudahkan dirinya menyidai selimut dan cadar yang berat. Namun, sebaliknya berlaku dan kini pelbagai masalah mula menghantuinya. Semuanya ini gara-gara terburu-buru menandatangani kontrak penjualan penyidai baju aluminium yang boleh ditarik masuk (retractable clothes hanger) pada April tahun lalu. Cik Norazia Kamis, 40 tahun, kerugian $244 kerana terpaksa membayar separuh daripada kos penyidai itu. Malah, beliau masih dihantui rasa takut kerana bimbang diambil tindakan oleh syarikat penyidai itu. Menurut Cik Norazia, beliau didatangi seorang jurujual yang ingin melihat tempat penyidai pakaian di dapur di flatnya di Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 pada 4 April tahun lalu. Ketika itu, beliau menyangka jurujual tersebut adalah pegawai Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB), lantas membenarkannya masuk. 'Apabila beliau berkata bahawa penyidai boleh ditukar kepada yang boleh ditarik masuk, saya fikir mudahlah untuk saya mengangkat cadar dan selimut saya yang berat,' ujar suri rumah berusia 40 tahun itu. Jurujual itu kemudian menyiapkan kontrak penjualan dan meminta Cik Norazia menandatanganinya. 'Beliau berkata bahawa harganya $488, tetapi beliau tidak mahu wang tunai. Sebaliknya, beliau mahu saya membayar $51 sebulan untuk setahun. 'Saya kira-kira, ansuran harganya lebih $612. Saya rasa tertipu. 'Jeriji tingkap saya juga tidak ditutup jika mengguna kannya. Saya khuatir kerana saya mempunyai dua orang anak kecil,' jelas ibu dua anak perempuan berusia lapan dan enam tahun itu. Namun, pegawai syarikat itu berjanji akan memasang pengadang. Tidak berpuas hati, Cik Norazia meminta melihat rumah yang telah dipasang dengan penyidai baju itu. 'Penyidainya nampak tidak kuat dan sempit. Ia melendut apabila digantung dengan benda berat,' jelas beliau. Pada petang yang sama, Cik Norazia meminta membatalkan kontrak pembeliannya. 'Mereka marah. Mereka berkata saya sudah menyusahkan mereka. Mereka meminta saya membayar $244, separuh kosnya, seperti yang tertera dalam kontrak jika urusan dibatalkan. Saya membayarnya,' ujar beliau. Pegawai syarikat itu juga mengugut mahu membawa perkara tersebut ke mahkamah. 'Saya takut. Tidak boleh tidur. Walaupun setelah mendapatkan nasihat Case, saya tetap membayar mereka,' ujar beliau. Menurut jurucakap Persatuan Pengguna Singapura (Case), setiap pelanggan berhak membatalkan kontrak penjualan tanpa sebab dalam masa tiga hari setelah menurunkan tandatangan di bawah Akta Perlindungan Pelanggan dan Perdagangan Adil (Consumer Protection and Fair Trading Act). Namun jiran Cik Norazia, yang hanya ingin dikenali sebagai Cik Sofia, 43 tahun, berasa kesal kerana memasang penyidai baju daripada syarikat yang sama pada Ogos tahun lalu kerana penyidai itu tidak lagi praktikal digunakan. Ketika dihubungi, penyelia syarikat di Yishun itu, yang hanya ingin dikenali sebagai Encik Chua, berkata syarikatnya mempunyai 20,000 hingga 30,000 pelanggan tetapi tidak menetapkan pelanggan membayar secara ansuran. 'Jika pelanggan membatalkan kontrak dalam masa tiga hari, kami menghormati kemahuan mereka. Kami tidak memaksa,' katanya.

Browneyes

salah sendiri lah....

deaf4ever

sambungan pasal jemur baju tu, sokkabar nari

gambo dia





ceta dia lak

Singapura : 3 Mac 2007
	Mudah cetak	| E-mel

38 MENGADU DIDESAK JURUJUAL ALAT SIDAI BAJU 35 peratus adalah pengguna Melayu yang rasa tertipu apabila dipaksa buat pembelian Oleh Shamsul Jangarodin SEBANYAK 38 aduan dibuat kepada Persatuan Pengguna Singapura (Case) terhadap sebuah syarikat di Yishun yang menjual penyidai baju aluminium yang boleh ditarik masuk. Dianggarkan, 35 peratus daripada aduan yang diterima adalah daripada individu Melayu/Islam. Case membuat ulasan itu menyusuli laporan dua orang suri rumah di Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 yang berasa ditipu jurujual syarikat tersebut yang disiarkan di Berita Harian Rabu lalu. Dua pembaca lain menghubungi Berita Harian menceritakan peristiwa serupa. Salah seorang daripada mereka, yang hanya ingin dikenali sebagai Encik Sofian, 50 tahun, begitu marah dengan sikap jurujual itu, yang memaksa hingga beliau kini tidak mahu lagi membayar ansuran bulanannya dan mahu penyi dai tersebut dibuka. 'Ambillah penyidai ini balik. Saya kasi balik percuma. Sungguh tidak praktikal. Jeriji tingkap saya juga habis mereka potong,' ujar datuk lapan cucu itu ketika ditemui di rumahnya di Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 kelmarin. Pembuat kolam renang yang mengaku menggunakan penyidai tersebut setakat dua atau tiga kali sahaja telah 10 bulan membayar ansurannya. Penyidai baju tersebut berharga $488, tetapi menurut Encik Sofian, syarikat itu hanya menerima bayaran ansuran sebanyak $51 sebulan selama setahun. Jurujual syarikat itu datang sewaktu isteri Encik Sofian seorang diri di flatnya dan menurut isterinya beliau didesak menandatangani kontrak penjualan tanpa penjelasan betul. Taktik desakan yang sama juga digunakan ke atas ibu seorang lagi pelanggan, Cik Sheila (bukan nama sebenar). Ibunya, 60 tahun, juga seorang diri di flatnya di Bedok North Avenue 3 apabila didatangi seorang jurujual awal bulan lalu. Jurujual itu mendakwa pihak Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB) akan mewajibkan setiap flat menggunakan penyidai baju itu. 'Hanya selepas meletakkan tandatangan baru ibu saya dijelaskan tentang bayaran dan bayaran setengah harga penyidai itu jika kontrak dibatalkan,' ujar Cik Sheila, seorang penerbit berusia 27 tahun. 'Saya cuba membatalkan kontrak itu, tetapi mereka marah. Saya membuat rujukan kepada Case dan atas nasihat mereka, saya menghantar surat pembatalan secara berdaftar kepada syarikat itu,' ujarnya. Setiap pengguna dilindungi Akta Perlindungan Pengguna (Perdagangan Adil) dan ber hak membatalkan sesuatu kontrak penjualan dalam masa tiga hari bekerja jika ia dilakukan dari rumah ke rumah. Ketika dihubungi, syarikat itu enggan memberikan komen.

SQ154

HDB eases subletting policy, helps shop tenants

SINGAPORE: The government is tweaking housing policies and introducing more programmes to help home owners monetise their assets as well as assist HDB shop tenants stay competitive.
Among them is the relaxation of the HDB's sub-letting policy which will see some 645,000 flats immediately eligible for sub-letting. The changes were announced by Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan, in Parliament on Saturday. Home owners who wish to supplement their income or savings by sub-letting their entire flat will find it easier to do so now. This would benefit particularly the elderly. Mr Mah said: "Most elderly HDB lessees have a store of wealth. This is in the form of the flat they own, the flat which they have bought with their hard earned savings which the government has facilitated through the provision of housing subsidy or concessionary loan. So they have this store of value. The question is: how we unlock this stored value. How do we help them to monetise their flats?" One way is to ease the sub-letting policy. Currently, home owners must stay in their flats for 5 or 10 years before they can sub-let their units, depending on whether they have existing HDB loans. But effective immediately, the Minimum Occupation Period will be cut to 5 years for a subsidised flat and 3 years for non-subsidised ones. To cater to the needs of the lower-income and the elderly, the HDB will also build more of the smaller flat types. 4,000 new flats will be built this year, with half being smaller units of studio apartments, 2- and 3-room flats. Separately, the government also plans to build more rental flats meant for needy Singaporeans in Chua Chu Kang, Sembawang and Yishun. Two blocks at Redhill will also be converted to rental flats. Private developers are also expected to be more involved in the public housing programme this year. Mr Mah said that more sites would be released under the Design, Built and Sell Scheme following the successful pilot project in Tampines. The next site to be tendered for is in Kallang-Whampoa. Meanwhile, HDB shop tenants will also get some help through the new Revitalisation for Shops scheme. It offers co-funding to encourage them to work with merchants associations to liven up the neighbourhood shopping experience. Eligible tenants will also enjoy a one-month rent-free period when they renovate their shops. Minister of State for National Development, Grace Fu, said: "Under the scheme, assistance will be provided through 3 components, namely upgrading the common area, promotional activities as well as rent-free period." The measures will cost the government about $12.5 million annually, with $10 million from HDB and $2.5 million from Spring Singapore. The government will also invest $1 billion a year to enhance the living environment by creating a new generation of housing estates. The first to be transformed is the Dawson area of Queenstown with construction set to begin within 3 to 4 years. - CNA/ir

SQ154

HOME IN A PARK, CITY IN A GARDEN

YOUR home is in a park, your city is in a garden.
Greenery rules.
There'll be sky gardens, water features, lush greenery and landscaping - not unlike private condominiums.
Car parks will be built beneath the blocks to give more room to greenery and to make more open spaces available at ground level. This is the colour and shape of things to come - a new generation HDB flats true to a concept called 'Housing in a Park', where residents will live in park-live surroundings.
It is part of the larger Singaporean dream of a 'City in a Garden', a vision mentioned briefly by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his Budget Speech last year.
More than $700 million will go towards building up our 'greenery capital'.
This includes developing new parks and enhancing existing ones, such as the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the East Coast Park and the Horticulture Park, said Minister of National Developer Mah Bow Tan yesterday in Parliament.
The construction of three world-class gardens at the heart of Marina Bay will start this year and will open in phases starting from 2010.
Park connectors will be increased from 70km to 200km by the year 2012.
That'll take you roughly halfway from here to Kuala Lumpur.
Our waterways will also be transformed into attractive recreational zones.
This includes the creation of two new lakes at Punggol, a river to run through Bishan Park and a park to be built over the Singapore River near Zion Riverside food centre.
This remarkable 'park' atop a canal will have gurgling water fountains using water pumped up from below.
To complement the garden theme, the Government will encourage vertical and high-rise greenery in public and private apartments.
Upcoming new-generation HDB estates will be a showcase of this theme.
The Dawson area of Queenstown will be the pioneer for this project, which is expected to commence within three to four years.
In addition to the promise of lush greenery, there will be covered linkways in a barrier-free environment within the estate.
There will also be environmentally-friendly features to save water and energy, and recycling will be made easier with centralised chutes.
Each estate will retain some of its heritage and identity associated with the area.
INPUT FROM RESIDENTS

Another good thing - everyone may decide collectively on what communal facilities to have.
All in favour of a putting green?
There will be a public exhibition later this year by the HDB to showcase the new concepts and invite public feedback.
The multi-billion dollar programme to transform older estates like never before was elaborated on in Parliament yesterday.
With the age of some of HDB flats set to reach 40 to 50 years in coming years, it's time to redevelop the HDB heartlands, said the Minister of State (National Development) Grace Fu.
She added: 'In this new-generation estate, not only will we adopt ideas on sustainable development, we will incorporate features that enhance our living experience.
'Given the scale and scope of such a programme, it is estimated to cost the Government about $1 billion a year when the programme is in full swing.'
But rest assured, public housing will still be affordable, said the ministry.

[ Last edited by  SQ154 at 5-3-2007 01:21 PM ]

fatz

this morning, for the third and last la....aku wished my new neighbour good morning...satu hek pun dia tak jawap....last time tahun baru dia aku kasi happy new year kat dia....muka dia mcm benda tu jugak....satu senyum pun tak der...

binaway punya neighbour....nasib baik 4 doors away