Allowing Singles or Estranged Persons to Live Alone Instead of Requiring Co-tenants for HDB Rental Flats

15 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has an initiative that allows single or estranged persons to live alone instead of requiring a co-tenant for HDB rental flats; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry can provide an update on this initiative.

The Minister of State for National Development (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, public rental flats under the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) are provided on a flat-sharing basis as this allows the flats to accommodate more low-income Singaporeans who need housing assistance. For JSS applicants with exceptional circumstances, such as medical grounds, HDB has exercised flexibility to allow them to rent a flat alone.

While many applicants and tenants are able to find a flatmate and live amicably under the JSS, some face difficulties applying for or sharing a flat, and we have, therefore, been reviewing and improving the JSS in recent years. For instance, HDB has been building new rental flats with high partitions to provide more privacy and these have been well-received. HDB has also been installing partitions in existing rental flats at tenants’ request. There are now a total of 1,230 partitioned flats. HDB will continue to include partitions in new rental flats, where feasible, and install them in existing flats at tenants’ request.

HDB is also piloting the JSS Operator-Run model to allow singles to apply for a public rental flat individually, without having to find a flatmate first. We, currently, have three sites, with a total of 400 bedspaces. The sites are managed by Social Service Agencies which oversee the flat-sharing arrangements, provide social support and mediate among tenants when needed. The pilot has been well-subscribed and HDB is assessing the pilot to see how it can be expanded.

We will continue to explore ways to improve the lived experiences of singles in public rental. We are looking into alternative typologies and will share more details soon.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Denise Phua, a short clarification because we are ending Question Time soon.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is not uncommon for Members of Parliament to receive requests to live alone or to transfer to another flat and they are usually frustrated tenants who find it very hard to get along with their assigned co-tenants.

So, while I know it is costly to have only one tenant live in a whole flat, are there any other models also, beyond the partitions, that will decrease tensions of strangers living together, for example, reducing co-living spaces with shared facilities and so forth? I am just looking at other models that are a bit more out of the box and not so traditional.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, essentially, as I shared earlier, we provide on a flat-sharing basis as this allows us to accommodate more low-income Singaporeans. Nevertheless, as I shared in my answer, we will continue to explore new models and ways to improve the lived experiences of singles in public rental flats. In fact, we are looking at alternative typologies and will share more details soon.

1.30 pm

Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Introduction of Government Bill.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos 4, 16-18 and 20-27 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix. The remaining Questions have been postponed to a later Sitting of Parliament or withdrawn.]