Vers for Old HDB Flats: Could the Consent Threshold Be 65 Per Cent?

The government’s recently proposed changes could enable more ageing private commercial, mixed-use and non-landed residential developments to be sold en bloc and redeveloped. Under the Land Titles (Strata) Amendment Bill, the consent threshold would be lowered from 80 per cent to 70 per cent for developments aged 40 to 59 years, and from 80 per cent to 65 per cent for those aged 60 years and above.

A similar approach for Vers could make sense. The scheme, once rolled out, will allow owners of flats aged about 70 years and older in selected precincts to vote on whether the government should buy back their homes before their leases run out. This can help address lease decay, as the average annual rate of depreciation of a 20-year lease works out to about twice that of a 70-year lease.

In the early years of independent Singapore, HDB often built in a rush due to the housing shortage. Several old estates were built within short periods, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, such as Marine Parade between 1974 and 1976, while Ang Mo Kio and Bedok were built shortly after that over several years.

All the leases in such old HDB towns will expire at around the same time, and new homes will need to be found for many people over a short period. With Vers, the government can take back old HDB flats progressively over several decades and redevelop the estate in stages. Old HDB towns will not suddenly hollow out and become huge construction sites. They can be redeveloped in an orderly manner over 20 to 30 years, rather than within four to five years.

The voting threshold for a Vers project to go ahead is currently not known. Could the consent threshold for Vers be 65 per cent, the level proposed for an en bloc sale of a private non-landed housing development that is 60 years or older?

Arguably, a 65 per cent consent threshold is reasonable as this reflects the wishes of a clear majority. Nonetheless, should just over 65 per cent of owners of old HDB flats give the go-ahead to Vers, there may be many disgruntled dissenting owners. Vers-affected flat owners might receive help at finding suitable new homes nearby in a timely manner, with prices and lease options that meet possibly diverse needs.

Still, situations could turn emotional and ugly when an 80-year-old owner, who is in poor health, is “forced” to move home. Unfortunately, many old HDB flats may have elderly owners who are living on their own. Data from 2025 shows that of 768,800 resident households headed by someone aged 65 and over, 88,400, or 11.5 per cent, were living alone.

There should be ample lead time for education and fine-tuning before Vers starts rolling out, with a few sites in the first half of the next decade, to be scaled up from the late 2030s. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong may provide more details on Vers at the upcoming National Day Rally 2026.

Having too few new property developments and redevelopments can produce far poorer outcomes for the economy and society in general. If insufficient new homes are built, many young people cannot become homeowners. Inadequate space for businesses to expand can lead to businesses moving operations out of Singapore, resulting in huge negatives for job creation. Meeting housing needs is critical to nation building, requiring resources, technical know-how, operational skills and political nous.