Number of Single Parents who Have Successfully Applied for HDB Flats under ASSIST

1 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for National Development (a) to date, how many single parents have successfully applied for a home under the Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (Divorced/Widowed Parents) (ASSIST); (b) for cases where applicants had financial difficulties, how many were reviewed by HDB and what were the outcomes of the review; and (c) are there sufficient flats and temporary housing to meet the demand by single parents.

The Minister of State for National Development (Dr Koh Poh Koon) (for the Minister for National Development): The Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (Divorced/Widowed Parents), or ASSIST, was introduced in May 2013. Up to May 2015, there were 230 applications from divorced or widowed parents under ASSIST. There are sufficient flats set aside for them each year, with 97%, or 223 of the 230 applicants, being successfully shortlisted to select a flat.

Eighty-five applicants under ASSIST had approached the Housing and Development Board (HDB) for financial assistance to purchase their flats. HDB helped over half of these applicants. Most needed help with paying the resale levy. HDB assesses the circumstances of each case and provides assistance wherever possible, for example, by incorporating the resale levy into the purchase price of the Build-To-Order (BTO) flat, so that the payments can be spread over a longer period of time. Of the remaining applicants, some wanted to buy a flat beyond their means. In such circumstances, HDB will advise them to buy a flat within their budget instead, while others were advised to defer the flat purchase until they were financially ready.

Low-income divorced or widowed parents who have no housing options or family support may be allocated public rental flats or interim rental housing. Those who have booked BTO or uncompleted SBF flats may also apply to rent a flat under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.

HDB reviews its policies and rental flat supply regularly to ensure that there are sufficient rental flats for such families. In 2015, about 800 divorced/widowed parents were assisted with various forms of rental housing, the majority being public rental.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I just have one follow-up question. With regard to the resale levy, I have been seeing a substantial number of residents persistently asking for help with the resale levy incorporated into their loans. There is an increasing risk of them being unable to pay the resale levy in full before purchasing the flat. What other plans does HDB have to help because these requests for resale levy increase over time?

Dr Koh Poh Koon: Mdm Speaker, in terms of HDB's priority, it is to ensure that people who want to purchase a flat are buying it within their means and not add a further financial burden. For such cases, wherever possible, we will try to incorporate the resale levy just to spread it over a longer period, so that they will find the payment of the instalments much more bearable on a monthly basis. For those cases where, clearly, even with incorporation of the resale levy, they will find it unaffordable, then I think the right thing to do would be to give them financial counselling and advise them to defer the purchase to a later date.