Re-poll possible for Tiong Bahru blocks that failed HIP voting, if enough support from residents: MP

SINGAPORE – Residents in two Tiong Bahru HDB blocks could get a second chance to vote on whether they want to undergo the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) after a narrow miss in November, said Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang.

Whether the re-poll takes place will depend on the level of support from residents, he told The Straits Times on Dec 4. Mr Foo added that he and grassroots volunteers will continue to reach out to households that did not vote or voted “no”, and address their concerns.

“If residents are strongly supportive, I will make the request to HDB to have the re-poll,” he said.

The two blocks – Block 34 Kim Cheng Street and Block 35 Lim Liak Street – had

failed to garner enough votes to pass the 75 per cent threshold

by a narrow margin of two and one votes respectively.

They were among 29 blocks in the neighbourhood that voted in November on whether to carry out HIP improvements. Voting was successful for the other 27 blocks. All the blocks are four-storey walk-up flats built in 1949 by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor to HDB.

“We are going to proceed with HIP for the first few blocks, hopefully after Chinese New Year,” Mr Foo said. “And we need to do it well so we can further convince those on the fence now – that perhaps it is inconvenient, but the benefit to the blocks are much more.”

The HIP was launched in 2007 to spruce up older housing estates and resolve common maintenance problems, such as spalling concrete. It is carried out only if at least 75 per cent of a block’s eligible Singaporean households have voted for it. Permanent resident households are not eligible to vote.

If the vote passes, residents have to undergo some compulsory works, such as repairing spalling concrete, but can opt out of other improvements like bathroom upgrading.

On Dec 3, Mr Foo met about 15 households in the two unsuccessful blocks at a town hall to address their concerns.

All the households had hoped HIP could be carried out and were concerned about the options available to them next, he said.

Mr Foo said the main hurdle to a successful vote was residents who could not be contacted. Before the poll, he had reached out to home owners to inform them about the HIP, but faced “radio silence” with some units.

He noted there were also several newer residents who moved in recently after major renovation works, and thus felt little incentive to support the HIP.

Since the voting results were published, volunteers have continued to engage residents and one resident who did not vote has changed his mind, he said.

HDB said on Nov 28 that a re-poll was previously allowed for

four blocks that had failed to get enough votes for HIP

in 2017 and 2023.

The one block in Serangoon and three in Lengkong Tiga eventually garnered enough votes to pass the 75 per cent threshold, and upgrading works were carried out.

If HDB agrees to a re-poll in Tiong Bahru, it will conduct another preliminary poll before proceeding with an official poll, said Mr Foo. This will likely take place in mid-2026.

Block 35 Lim Liak Street has 15 households, 11 of which voted for the HIP. Four did not vote, and only one more “yes” vote was needed to meet the voting threshold.

Of the 24 units in Block 34 Kim Cheng Street, 16 households voted in favour of the HIP, two voted against and six did not vote. Two more votes were needed to pass the voting threshold.

If the re-poll is still unsuccessful, Mr Foo said it is “not HIP or nothing at all”. If there are repair works needed, such as repairing burst pipes or spalling concrete, he will work with the Housing Board or the town council to resolve them. Maintenance works under the HIP seek to pre-empt such issues.

Flat owners can also individually apply for the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme, which provides senior-friendly fittings, without going through the HIP, he noted.

Ms Mary Lee, 57, who has lived at Block 35 for 18 years, said a re-poll would be good but the concerns of those who did not vote or voted against the HIP should be addressed first.

“There is also the issue of residents who cannot be contacted,” she added. She and her husband had tried to contact their neighbour, who moved out in October but still owns the flat, to inform him about the polling, but their calls and texts went unanswered.

Mr Foo said: “Several residents have written to me about their hope that HIP can proceed, and I will work hard to reach the threshold. But if we’re unable to, we will still look after their needs to make sure the units are in liveable condition.”