4 October 2013

Solving the affordable housing issue

By NATIONAL HOUSE BUYERS ASSOCIATION [HBA] 

COMBO STEPS: HBA argues that a combination of measures will help to solve the affordable housing issue

Most new housing units are now priced well above RM400,000, rendering it unattainable to all those in the middle income group. Those who have not bought their first homes will probably not be able to afford one now due to the sky-high price tags of these properties. And we are not even talking about luxurious condominiums and bungalows but regular apartments.

For the lower income group, they can apply for the government’s public housing, low cost and low medium cost housing projects. These projects are only meant for the lower income but what about those who are not eligible for these projects?

This is the group that is stuck in the middle income trap, they do not qualify for low cost housing and yet, they could not afford the supposed “medium cost” residential projects. This group will only be able to afford housing priced at RM200,000 per unit and above but sadly, there are not many such properties in the market.

New launches now are often priced at RM400,000 and above. In hotspots like Penang and Kuala Lumpur, the “cheapest” could be a minimum of RM500,000 per unit. So, what is the reason behind these escalating prices?

Cause of surging prices
Developers have always complained of higher material costs and blamed that as one of the contributing factors to higher priced properties. From our point of view, this is but only a small factor amongst many others.

Let’s take a look at the other cost factor, the premiums that developers have to pay the government for any housing project. Admittedly, developers have to pay a very high premium both to the federal and state governments for any housing project.

Naturally, the developers transfer the cost of paying these premiums onto the buyers and added this to the final pricing of the property on sale. So, it is time that the government, federal and state, look at this issue seriously and consider using their political will to cut down the premiums that developers need to pay.

There should be a system where developers need only pay a discounted rate in premiums for projects that are priced below RM350,000 per unit.

Developers building affordable housing at prices below RM350,000 should also get fast-track approvals for the project to save them development time which is also a measure of cost saving for them. This way, their costs are kept low and they are able to build quality affordable homes that the middle income group can afford.

Another factor for the escalating property prices is a growing problem that is condoned and if not stopped, will further worsen the situation – property flipping (buying of properties to sell it at a profit later).

In other words, properties in Malaysia have become commodities, like the stock market, where speculators buy in bulk and later sell at a higher price to make a fast buck. In this case, the developers are to be blamed.

Some developers have taken the easy way out by bulk-selling their projects to investors and speculators, even at discounted prices, instead of to genuine home buyers.

In most cases, these investors and speculators will be tipped of an upcoming project even before its launch. They will also be given the first choice of units before the launch of the project.

This is akin to stock insider trading in the stock market. It is appalling that stock insider trading is illegal but it is all right for investors and speculators to do the exact same thing to properties, which are also a form of commodity.

It is high time that such unfair practices that allow investors to continue making more money at the expense of house buyers be stopped.

Developers who deal in ‘property insider trading’ should be severely dealt with so that they will all revert to a transparent and honourable sales system that give a fair chance to all buyers instead of only to investors.

They should be discouraged from bulk selling properties, especially projects within the affordable housing price range of below RM350,000, and be compelled to practise a more transparent sales system that allows genuine home buyers to purchase the properties.

Multiple measures
So, the way to resolve this affordable housing problem is not a simple solution but a combination of several measures that require all relevant parties to chip in and make it possible.

We need strong political will to implement measures such as lower development charges, fast track approvals for affordable housing projects and laws against property insider trading.

On the developer side, we need them to do the right thing by conducting their sales system in a transparent and fair manner with priority given to genuine home buyers, not investors or speculators.

On the financial side, perhaps the banks and financial institutions could contribute by introducing loan packages for first time home buyers and also to prioritise applications by first time home buyers. Bank Negara should also look into introducing guidelines that prioritise first time home buyers.

Finally, as for the investors and speculators, it is time that this group of people be heavily taxed under RPGT (Real Property Gains Tax) to deter them from continuing to buy properties in bulk and driving up the prices through the false demands they created.

It is time that the government, both federal and state, developers and Bank Negara all work together to implement these measures and we are certain, this will finally solve the affordable housing quandary in Malaysia.

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Home > Featured > Budget 2014: Initiatives A Big Boost For Affordable Housing

Budget 2014: Initiatives a big boost for affordable housing

Posted on October 26, 2013  |  1682 Views |  Topic : Featured, Property News.

DEVELOPERS and property consultants said the Government’s affordable housing initiatives proposed under Budget 2014 would ensure better planning, coordination and execution to meet the urgent demand for such housing units among the lower and middle-income group.

Managing director of property consultancy VPC Alliance Malaysia Sdn Bhd James Wong said the Government’s initiative to establish the National Housing Council (NHC) to develop strategies and action plans to build affordable housing priced from RM150,000 to RM450,000 would help to streamline and plan the one-million-unit target of affordable housing over a five-year period.

“Under the plan, we would need to build 200,000 units of affordable houses a year. But national statistics have shown that only 50,000 units have been built over the past few years, a shortfall of some 40%,” Wong told StarBizWeek.

“It is a very opportune time for all the parties involved – 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA), state governments, local authorities and private developers – to plan, coordinate and implement strategies towards the affordable housing cause for each state,” added Wong, who is also the publicity chairman and past president of The Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents & Property Consultants in the Private Sector Malaysia or PEPS.

Wong said industry estimates showed some 1.7 million households, equivalent to 6.8 million people and some 25% of the country’s population, were still without housing.

Mah Sing Group Bhd group managing director and chief executive Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum lauded the Private Affordable Ownership Housing Scheme (MyHome) proposal as a positive move for developers to play their part in meeting the affordable housing needs.The NHC is to develop strategies and action plans in a holistic manner, coordinate legal aspects and the property price mechanism, and ensure the provision of homes in a more efficient and expeditious manner. The council members will comprise federal agencies, state governments, the National Housing Department, PR1MA,Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd and the private sector.

“There would be a subsidy of RM30,000 for private developers for each unit built, and the maximum prices have been increased to RM45,000 for low-cost and RM170,000 for medium-cost units. We look forward to exploring this opportunity to see if we have any locations that are suitable for this scheme,” Leong added.

See Hoy Chan Holdings Group director Datuk Teo Chiang Kok said developers had been building low-cost and low-medium-cost houses for the past 30 years that had been largely based on a cross-subsidy model borne by free-market house buyers.

“The subsidy from the Government would lighten the burden of house buyers, especially those in the low-income group and encourage developers to partake in the affordable housing cause,” said Teo.

Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Penang chairman Datuk Jerry Chan, meanwhile, said the Government’s proactive role to take the lead in the affordable housing policy was a very positive move.

Government moving towards Singapore-style Public Housing Board

This is an article I found on The Malaysian Insider during my research on Malaysia's Public Housing.. 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/government-moving-towards-singapore-style-public-housing-board/

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6, 2011 — The government is in the initial stages of establishing a national public housing authority similar to the one in Singapore, that will build affordable quality homes, said Datuk Chor Chee Heung.

The housing and local government minister told The Malaysian Insider that a national housing board was one of the initiatives the government was working on to address increasing concerns over the affordability of residential property.

“In the long term, we are moving towards a national housing board whereby building of houses by the government will be more structured,” he said in a telephone interview. “It is in the early stages.”

Chor said his ministry was currently building low-cost housing for those earning less than RM2,500 while Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance Inc, also builds low-cost houses, but under a new national housing board affordable housing construction by the government will be more streamlined.

He added that the Najib administration was also considering releasing federal-owned land to private developers to build affordable housing.

The National House Buyers Association (HBA) recently warned that an entire generation of young adults risk being locked out of the property market due to runaway house prices.

HBA secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said the rapid inflation of assets has put house ownership beyond the reach of young adults.

“The prices are exorbitant and beyond the reach of young adults,” Chang toldThe Malaysian Insider. “The price increases are not commensurate with salary increases. How are young adults going to catch up (with house prices)?”

As a result of property prices outpacing salary increments, many young adults feel pressured to buy a home before they are ready out of fear of being priced out of the market.

Chor said however that the “fear that you must buy now” is unfounded.

He also said that a number of developers are now realising the demand for affordable housing and happy to build property costing RM150,000 to RM200,000 “a little bit outside of KL”.

The minister said that once the KL MRT is completed — the first line stretching from Sungei Buloh to Kajang is slated to start operations in 2017 — it will make it easier for young adults to commute to the city.

“Don’t rush to buy a house now,” he said. “Once the MRT is there, there will come a time when it will be affordable for someone with five years’ working experience to buy a property.”

Singapore’s Housing & Development Board (HDB) is a public housing authority tasked with building public housing towns featuring quality homes and living environments.

Over 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in HDB flats and 95 per cent of them own their units.

Nevertheless, the influx of foreigners who are given residential status in Singapore in recent years has pushed up the prices of even HDB flats to the point where it has become an issue in the Singapore general election, where polling day is tomorrow.

High property prices in urban areas have prompted the Najib administration to introduce a first-home ownership scheme in March in addition to the loan-to-value ratio cap in a bid to stave off discontent.

The government’s My First Home Scheme will enable young adults aged up to 35 and earning less than RM3,000 to obtain 100 per cent financing to buy houses worth between RM100,000 and RM220,000 with a repayment period of up to 30 years.

Selangor announced on May 4 that it will launch an affordable housing scheme and offer houses “more comfortable” than low-cost units, similar to the My First Home Scheme mooted by the federal government.

The Selangor-backed scheme is expected to offer 750- to 850-sq ft units with the maximum cost for each house at RM100,000 and reserved for those earning between RM2,500 and RM5,000 a month.

Singapore tests eco-friendly homes

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Punggol Eco-Town is Singapore's first large-scale experiment to make public housing eco-friendly
• The sustainable features range from practical to highly innovative
• The government is leasing solar panels in a partner scheme with private manufacturers
• It is hoped the project's variety of experiments will have wider implications

(CNN) -- Singapore's first public housing blocks built to be environmentally sustainable have become the testing ground for future projects.

From afar, the high-rises of Punggol Eco-Town look unremarkable, but they are the first large-scale experiment to make public housing eco-friendly in Singapore, a tropical city-state that is hot year-round.

Over 80% of Singapore's residents live in public housing, called HDBs, after the government agency that builds them.

"What we have done is that we put in various eco friendly features that helps in terms of capitalizing on the wind, enhancing greenery, reducing energy consumption, water usage, how to promote waste recycling, et cetera, all in one development," said Ng Bingrong, the project director, Treelodge@Punggol.

The eco-friendly methods range from commonplace and practical to highly innovative.

This is where we test bed a lot of urban solutions for us to identify which of those are workable and for us to adopt
Alan Tan

Plant-covered roofs naturally lower the buildings' temperature, and the towers' orientation, facing away from the sun, helps too. Painting the buildings white helps keep them cool and bring in sunlight.

But white walls also look dirty more quickly, so the government is testing self-cleaning paint, which breaks down grime as it is triggered by sun exposure.

Alan Tan, the director of HDB's Environment Sustainability Research team says the project's variety of experiments will have wider implications for future housing in Singapore.

"Punggol Eco-Town is in fact a living laboratory for us," said Tan. "This is where we test bed a lot of urban solutions for us to identify which of those are workable and for us to adopt, for us to introduce more to our public housing,"

Inside the apartments, tap water that goes down the drain is used to flush toilets. Solar energy powers elevators, lighting and water pumps.

And various indicators placed around the buildings, like the ones found in the elevators that show the amount of solar energy being outputted, provide constant reminders to the residents of the different lifestyle they are living.

But being eco-friendly comes at a higher price -- the sustainable buildings cost 7% more to build than traditional apartments.

The cost concerns have also sparked fiscal innovation, pushing the government to think of ways to make the eco-friendly features less expensive. One solution has been to lease, instead of buy, the building's solar panels from private companies.

"It's very difficult for the government to continuously provide the funding. So what we have done is that we will try to partner with the private industry," said Ng.

Under the scheme, the government subsidizes start-up costs, while the solar energy companies install the panels, maintain them and sell back the energy to the power providers to recoup their costs.

From this video/article by CNN, what I found interesting was the leasing, instead of buying, the solar panels from private companies. This is something I feel our government can adopt in its public housing as well. Through partnership with private manufacturer, this eco-friendly features are made less expensive. 

Learning Agreement - Updated Draft

   1.     THE CHOSEN SITE & RESEARCH TOPIC/ISSUE YOU WISH TO STUDY

My research project will look into the many aspects of affordable housing from the evolution and typologies to perceptions and opportunities. Using Singapore’s Housing Development Board as a case study, this research will explore the role of Singapore’s Housing Development Board and how it has evolved in keeping up with different needs and rising aspiration. This research will also investigate on sustainable housing and how affordable housing can also be sustainable with reference to HDB's first Eco-Precinct, Treelodge@Punggol as a case study. The research will then discuss on how sustainable, affordable housings can be achieved through rehabilitation or adaptable buildings with reference to Ironhorse, a sustainably-built affordable housing in Oakland, California. Ultimately, this research will investigate how all these strategies can be applied in the context of Malaysia.

WORKING TITLE: AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE FUTURE – SUSTAINABLY-BUILT AFFORDABLE HOUSING

   2.     OUTLINE OF REPORT AND HOW YOU WISH TO CARRY OUT YOUR OBJECTIVES

Chapter 1 – Introduction

In recent years, sustainable development has become a goal for all governments seeking to balance the health of the environment with the health of the economy. Designing state of the art buildings which utilise energy efficient features and materials is the predominant vision of a sustainable built environment. However in Malaysia, these green features are usually seen in commercial buildings and high-end housings such as Malaysian Energy Commission Headquarter, the Diamond Building and The Glades by Sime Darby, but they are rarely found in low-cost housings? The issue of providing green features and making them affordable to every Malaysia’s home owners, particularly the low income groups are not taken into consideration in the urban planning. Instead only those who are wealthy are entitled to these features where in fact sustainable housing should be affordable for the whole spectrum of incomes as it promotes economic development, environmental stewardship, quality of life and social equality.

This research project will look into the many aspects of affordable housing from the evolution and typologies to perceptions and opportunities. Using Singapore’s Housing Development Board as a case study, this research will explore the role of Singapore’s Housing Development Board and how it has evolved in keeping up with different needs and rising aspiration. This research will also investigate on sustainable housing and how affordable housing can also be sustainable with reference to HDB's first Eco-Precinct, Treelodge@Punggol as a case study. The research will then discuss on how sustainable, affordable housings can be achieved through rehabilitation or adaptable buildings with reference to Ironhorse, a sustainably-built affordable housing in Oakland, California. Ultimately, this research will investigate how all these strategies can be applied in the context of Malaysia.

Chapter 2 – Affordable Housing

·         Introduction & Overviews of Affordable Housing

o    housing deemed affordable to those with a median household income

o    housing that is, "...reasonably adequate in standard and location for lower or middle income households and does not cost so much that a household is unlikely to be able to meet other basic needs on a sustainable basis"

·         Evolution of Affordable Housing

·         Affordable Housing in Malaysia

Chapter 3 –Sustainable Housing

§  Introduction & Overviews of Sustainable Housing

o    Often associated with wealth and affluence

o    Genuinely sustainable housing are those that are inclusive and affordable to all

§  Sustainability of Housing

o    Environmental

o    Economic

o    Social & Cultural

Chapter 4 – Sustainable & Affordable Housing in Singapore

·         Overview on Housing Development Board (HDB) of Singapore

·         Role of HDB

o    Developing Vibrant Towns

o    Providing Affordable Homes

o    Creating a Cohesive Communities

·         Evolution of HDB Towns & Flats

·         Sustainable Housing in Singapore

Chapter 5 – Case Study of Sustainably-Built Affordable Housing in Singapore

·         Punggol Eco Town

o    Background/history

§  Singapore's first large-scale experiment to make public housing eco-friendly

§  To promote the concept of 'Green Living by the Waters' in Punggol, natural elements like the wind, sun and rain will be tapped on in the future planning and design of Punggol town. More environmentally friendly buildings with higher Green Mark ratings for developments along the waterway will be built.

§  Treelodge@Punggol - Singapore's first public housing blocks built to be environmentally sustainable

o    Building Analysis – Treelodge@Punggol

§  comprised of seven 16-story towers arranged around an “eco-deck” community garden area

§  utilizes green technologies including solar panels, roof gardens and grey water recycling systems for effective energy, water and waste management 

·         Waterway@Punggol

             Chapter 6 – Affordable Housing through Rehabilitation

·         Adaptive Reuse & Adaptable Buildings

·         Sustainable Housing Development

·         Case Study – IronHorse, California

o    Background/history

§  Used to be an abandoned former industrial land

§  GreenPoint Rated affordable family housing developed by BRIDGE Housing

§  A part of the emerging Central Station district anchored by Oakland's historic original train station.

o    Building Analysis

§  sustainably built one, two, and three bedroom apartments

§  feature vegetated green roofs, solar hot water panels, solar panels to provide electricity in common areas, CRI Green Label Plus carpets, vegetated swales to capture rainwater, a high-efficiency drip irrigation system, and outdoor furniture, benches, and seat walls made with 100% recycled materials.

 

Chapter 7 – Conclusion 

Singapore's one millionth HDB flat

As HDB celebrates its 50th anniversary in providing public housing in Singapore, it also celebrates its milestone in completing its one millionth HDB flat. At the completion ceremony of HDB's first eco-friendly initiative Treelodge@Punggol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean and Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan presented the keys to HDB's one millionth flat to its owners, Mr Wang Wei Ji and his wife Christina Ng.

Punggol Town will be Singapore's first Eco-Town by 2015 with Treelodge@Punggol being the first of HDB's green housing projects. Residents of Punggol have also stepped up on going green and share their favourite features of the new housing estate.

Keeping up with different needs and rising aspirations

Over the last 50 years, HDB has continued to formulate sound public housing policies and schemes, which not only support national objectives like racial harmony and strong family ties, but also meet the varied needs and aspirations of the people at different life-cycle stages. Singaporeans who qualify for an HDB flat can find a housing flat type or scheme to fit their different needs and pockets. From young couples setting up their first home, families, singles to the elderly wanting to age-in-place, carefully calibrated schemes helped prioritise housing allocation among those who qualify. 

Young Couples 

Young couples buying an HDB flat for the first time enjoy better chances of getting a HDB flat so that they can set up home earlier. Over time, with a more robust resale market, their chances have been enhanced to give them an edge over HDB flat owners applying for a second subsidised flat. At least 90 percent of flats are set aside for first time applicants who are given twice as many chances under the ballot over other applicants. 

Multi-generational families 

Enhanced chances are also given to married children who wish to live together with their parents or in separate flats near each other. Currently in place is the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), giving such applicants double chances over other applicants. 

Elderly 

As society evolves, some elderly flat owners may prefer to maintain their independence while still living in close proximity to family and friends. The Studio Apartment (SA) Scheme (introduced in 1997) which has a shorter lease of 30 years makes good, practical sense for this segment of the population. They can get a place of their own in HDB estates where public amenities are easily accessible and enjoy the cash proceeds from the sale of their previous flat. 

The latest in monetisation options for elderly flat owners is the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) launched in 2008. Under the scheme, HDB will buy back the tail-end of the lease of their flat, leaving them with a shorter 30-year lease and give them a monthly payout based on the remaining lease and a generous Government grant. 

Needy Families 

For smaller flats intended for the low-income, the income ceiling is set lower, at $3,000 so that they need not compete with households with higher incomes. They also enjoy more subsidies in the form of grants given on top of existing housing subsidies. The Additional Housing Grant (AHG) to help them own homes has been recently enhanced, from $30,000 to $40,000 for those earning less than $1,500 a month. Middle-income families will also benefit as the qualifying household income ceiling has been increased to $5,000 a month. 

For families who need to right-size their flat due to changing financial circumstances, the supply of smaller flats has been increased. In addition to those already offered for sale, about 4,000 new ones are expected to be completed over the next two to three years. For the truly needy, HDB provides highly-subsidised rental flats under its Public Rental Scheme to eligible Singapore citizens, with monthly rents from as low as $32. 

Singles 

With changing norms and in recognition of their contributions to the country, the family-only housing policy has been eased to allow singles to buy a resale HDB flat in HDB estates. Further changes mean that singles have a greater choice of housing today, to help them meet their aspirations of owning bigger homes. They also get to enjoy grants and subsidies. Those who buy a resale flat with their parents will benefit from an enhanced grant – a move that also encourages unmarried Singaporeans to care for their elderly parents. 

More affluent families 

Progressively, in response to changing lifestyles and growing affluence, from the 1980s onwards, bigger flat types - namely 4-room and 5-room flats have become standard housing fare. With the early flats that came with bare cemented floors, residents covered them up with cheap, colourful linoleum. With bigger budgets, house-proud owners of the flats that came after hacked their floors to re-lay new tiles and replaced the plain solid room doors with more decorative ones, in keeping with their interior design ideals. To reduce all this wastage and meet different needs, HDB subsequently reclassified its flats into two categories – Standard and Premium Apartments, with the latter offering special design attributes and better quality flat finishes. ‘White Flats’ without internal partitions were launched in 1999 to give owners the flexibility to tailor flat interiors. 

HDB also introduced other innovative housing schemes that involved the private sector so as to inject greater variety and choice. The Design, Build & Sell Scheme (DBSS) has met with warm responses from flat buyers looking for something a bit more special. 

Meeting the evolving housing trends and higher expectations also means that HDB needs to come up with new and creative approaches. 

The result of an international design competition, The Pinnacle@Duxton is HDB’s first 50 storey development with unique features like sky bridges, an integrated carpark, and a host of commercial and social facilities. The project has also been named the winner of Asia and Australasia's 'Best Tall Building' by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in June 2010.