Number of and Occupancy Rates at Homeless Shelters
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the capacity, occupancy, and transition plans for homeless shelters as raised by Mr Darryl David. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Mr Eric Chua stated that seven transitional shelters provide 720 beds with a 60% average occupancy rate and an average stay of nine months. Social workers assist residents in transitioning to permanent housing, such as rental or purchase flats, through customized support. Regarding the admission process, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Mr Eric Chua noted that support is tailored to individual needs, addressing complex issues like employment and family disputes. Government agencies and community groups collaborate to offer these thoughtful interventions to help the homeless transition to more permanent places of residence.
Transcript
24 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Government can provide an update on (i) the total number of beds available in shelters for the homeless and (ii) the average occupancy rate, in the past three years; (b) what is the average length of stay in a homeless shelter; and (c) whether there are plans put in place to help the homeless transition from a shelter to a more permanent place of residence in the mid- to long-term.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): Mr Speaker, there are currently seven transitional shelters for homeless persons and families in need of temporary residential support. The total capacity is about 720 beds. From 2021 to 2023, the transitional shelters had an average occupancy rate of about 60%.
Individuals stay in a transitional shelter for an average of about nine months. To help residents transit to a more permanent place of residence, social workers at the TSS work closely to address the needs of these individuals and families and support them in securing stable long-term housing such as rental flats or purchase flats.
Mr Speaker: Mr Darryl David.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): I would like to thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for that answer. Just one supplementary question. I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that the occupancy rate is 60%. This would suggest that there are vacancies in these shelters. Could the Senior Parliamentary Secretary perhaps provide some insight into the process, that is, how easy it would be, how quickly it would be for a homeless person or someone sleeping rough to get a place in these shelters?
Mr Eric Chua: Sir, with respect to the Member's supplementary question, I think there is no one answer because every case is unique by its own merits. Those of us who are involved in this piece of work would know that the situational factors and difficulties that each homeless or rough-sleeping person has to deal with are often complex and interlocking. It could be a mix of employment, family disputes, mental health – and a whole host of other issues. And oftentimes, they overlap with one another.
So, what we need to do then is to make sure that we can work with community groups, work with individual volunteers on the ground, Government agencies in the mix as well, to offer the most thoughtful as well as customised support to each of these cases. So, really, there is no one quick, textbook answer for all the cases.
12.31 pm
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Notice of Motion.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]