PETALING JAYA: Aware of the need for people to own homes, the Penang government is going all out to provide affordable houses for Penangites.
State Housing, Local Government, Town and Country Planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state has managed to allocate 130,087 housing units, which is almost 60% of its targeted 220,000 affordable homes by 2030.
“I’m confident that we will be able to attain the target by that year. It has been a long battle for us to get to this stage,” Jagdeep told theSun yesterday.
He said first-time buyers will have to meet set guidelines to purchase the units.
“Their household incomes will be assessed, and applicants must not own houses at the time of making applications.”
The application form states that a household income of no more than RM2,500 per month will allow a buyer to purchase a home costing RM42,000.
Those who want to buy houses costing RM72,000 or RM150,000 should have a household income of not more than RM3,500 and RM8,000, respectively.
Other requirements are that an applicant must be employed and a voter in the state.
Jagdeep said to beat land costs in the state’s five districts, especially the mainland, Penang needs to control the price of houses.
He said the state executive council had announced last year that it had approved a new ceiling price for affordable homes of RM270,000 on the island and RM225,000 on the mainland.
He added current prices on the island range from RM150,000 to RM300,000 while the new ceiling price will be from RM135,000 to RM270,000.
On the mainland (Seberang Perai), the previous ceiling price for affordable homes was from RM150,000 to RM250,000, while the new ceiling price is from RM135,000 to RM225,000.
Jagdeep said the state has taken another step forward to meet the housing needs of its people and the Penang Housing Board will soon embark on its first affordable housing project in Bukit Gedung.
The project will have 801 units and 15 units of shophouses.
Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Penang chapter chairman Tan Hun Beng lauded the state’s move to provide homes, especially for those in the lower-income group.
“In the long term, children stand to benefit from living in a conducive environment.”
He expressed hope that the state government would be able to share the demand and supply statistics for housing.
“We don’t have the statistics and we don’t want to overbuild (to avoid a glut).”
Tan added the state government should come up with a feasible rent-to-own scheme and launch a survey to determine the level of affordability in each location.
