Main Reasons for Rejection of Applications for HDB Rental Flats
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the reasons for HDB rental flat application rejections and future supply projections raised by Mr Alex Yam. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling stated that rejections typically involve applicants who can afford to buy flats, have family support, or fail citizenship requirements, though HDB exercises flexibility for needy cases. She noted that 60,000 existing flats are supplemented by 3,000 units under construction and highlighted a child-centric approach to provide accommodation for non-citizen parents with citizen children. Finally, she shared that HDB assists singles under the Joint Single Scheme to find suitable co-renters when they are unable to find partners themselves.
Transcript
34 Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for National Development (a) what the main reasons for the rejection of applications for HDB rental flats are; and (b) what HDB's projections for new rental flats in the next decade are.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) public rental flats, which are heavily subsidised, cater to needy citizen households who have no other viable housing options or family support.
The most common reasons for rejecting requests for HDB public rental flats are that applicants have the ability to buy a flat, have family support, or are unable to meet the citizenship requirement. For households who do not meet the eligibility criteria, HDB exercises flexibility based on their individual needs and circumstances.
On the Member's second question, there are about 60,000 existing HDB rental flats, with another 3,000 units under construction. HDB will continue to monitor the net demand for rental flats, as more rental families have become homeowners, and make adjustments to our rental flat supply as required.
Mr Speaker: Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary. Two follow-ups. One is with regard to a point on the citizenship criterion. I think a number of Members in this House have mentioned this before, especially those who are undergoing a divorce and come from a Permanent Resident (PR) background, so the mother is a PR. And because of the Court requirement to sell the flat, they then have an issue of housing their children, especially if they are young. Does HDB guide these families in the process of application or point them in the right direction, especially if they do not qualify for a rental flat?
A second issue is with regard to the Joint Single Scheme where quite a number of people have also given feedback that they prefer to stay on their own. What advice does HDB provide to them because they are unable to find an appropriate, related family member or friend to stay with them, but still prefer to stay on their own?
Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. For non-citizen parents with a Singapore Citizen child, we will adopt a child-centric approach. So, in such cases, the Member could reflect the case to HDB and HDB will take a child-centric approach and make sure that where the applicant has no other options for housing, they will make sure that accommodation is provided for the child.
On the second question, could I ask the Member to repeat, please?
Mr Alex Yam: For the Joint Single Scheme, for those unable to find an appropriate, related family member or friend to stay with them, but still prefer to stay alone, what options are available to them?
Ms Sun Xueling: Firstly, based on our understanding, the number of singles who have not been able to find a suitable, eligible single person to live or rent with, is not large. But where such cases are surfaced to us, HDB will try its very best to find a suitable person to co-rent with the applicant.
Mr Speaker: Members are encouraged to use the microphones where possible. Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan.