{"id":48826,"date":"2022-02-24T16:12:26","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T08:12:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/?p=48826"},"modified":"2023-08-04T17:45:35","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T09:45:35","slug":"7-things-about-hdb-lifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/7-things-about-hdb-lifts\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things about HDB lifts you probably didn’t know about"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For the majority of Singaporeans, having a lift at their HDB block is an integral part of life. You get home after a long day, shuffle into the shiny metal box, push a button and exit at your floor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This daily act is simple and mindless, and its presence is steadfast and unwavering in our lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Not all HDB blocks have lifts\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

However, out of the 10,000 residential HDB blocks, there are\u00a0<\/span>around 150 blocks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that still lack lift access. That’s about 2000 households in Singapore who have no choice but to climb the stairs in order to get home.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is due to the combination of high costs and existing technical and site constraints. In some cases, the\u00a0<\/span>financial outlay<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of building the lifts could cost as much as S$200,000 per household \u2013 almost as much as purchasing a new flat outright!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HDB<\/a><\/p>\n

To be fair, the Singapore government has done its best to ensure residents in need, such as the elderly or those with medical or mobility issues, have access to lifts through the\u00a0<\/span>Lift Upgrading Programme<\/span><\/a> (LUP).\u00a0<\/span>Prior to its introduction two decades ago in 2001, more than 5,300 HDB blocks lacked full direct lift access.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently, various methods are being explored to reduce both the cost and technical barriers for implementing the lifts in the remaining flats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Tapping on the S$30,000 grant<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Residents ineligible for the LUP can tap on the\u00a0<\/span>Lift Access Housing Grant<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(LHG) of up to S$30,000 to move into a new or resale flat with direct lift access.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The grant is for individuals who have mobility or medical issues and experience trouble navigating the floors without lift access. Most applicants would be elderly folks with existing health issues and have to take frequent breaks when walking to the lifts. What may be a minute-long walk for most of us may take them 10 minutes as some struggle to climb the stairs to the lifts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HDB
Those who are wheelchair bound or struggle with mobility issues will have a harder time accessing the lifts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some residents hesitate to take up the grant, citing factors such as being retired and not being able to afford a new flat or having to downgrade to a smaller living space. Some are hopeful for their residence to undergo the\u00a0<\/span>Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(SERS), opting to take on a wait-and-see approach despite the lack of direct lift access to flats being a\u00a0<\/span>non-consideration<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for en bloc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Others are reluctant to leave the familiarity of the neighbourhood they spent the majority of their lives at, saying relocation would be the last resort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Facebook user Cocoanna Christian<\/a> gave us a glimpse into her daily struggles as a wheelchair user navigating cramped HDB corridors. After suffering from a severe health decline eight years ago, she lost strength in her legs and can only stand for two minutes. Since then, she started using a wheelchair to get around.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Cocoanna Christian<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, she experiences difficulty accessing the lift to go to her dialysis treatments because of the many potted plants and obstacles outside her neighbour’s flats along the common corridor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the neighbours have since removed the plants after the Town Council issued a written warning, Cocoanna Christian still doesn’t have direct lift access. This is due to the block’s layout, resulting in technical constraints and making it impossible to add new lift shafts to serve all units.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With Singapore’s fast-growing ageing population, having direct lift access for all households is more crucial than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

As of Feb 2021, 28 applications have been\u00a0<\/span>submitted<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for the LHG, with 22 given the green light and 4 still pending evaluation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Smart solutions\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Depending on the design of the apartment blocks, different types of lifts will be needed for retrofitting. It’s impossible to go with a one-size-fits-all approach as some blocks have different configurations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

HDB has introduced innovative technical solutions such as installing smaller lifts in some low-rise blocks to accommodate a wheelchair and one to two standing persons.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2007, residents in Clementi and Tampines had a doorway carved out in their homes to make way for separate lift shafts and new lift landings that connected directly to their flats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This solution was to negate ‘half-landing’ lifts, which meant having to climb a flight of stairs in order to access the upgraded lifts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other interesting solutions, for example, the bubble lift, have been implemented in areas such as Buffalo Road in Little India and Sims drive in Aljunied. Instead of being enclosed, these glass lifts adopt a shaftless design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n