Progress Toward 4,000-flat Target for Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the Housing and Development Board's progress in meeting its 4,000-unit supply target for the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) and the impact on applicant success rates. Ms Gho Sze Kee asked about reaching this target and suggested using vacant Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) or Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) units to increase availability. Second Minister for National Development Ms Indranee Rajah confirmed the target has been met, noting that all highest-priority households and 30% of the next priority tier were recently invited to select flats. She explained that 4,000 units represent a steady state, as the government is also ramping up the supply of Shorter Waiting Time flats to address previous construction delays. The Minister further clarified that while SERS units are utilized, units returned under the LBS are prioritized for resale to eligible buyers rather than for rental.
Transcript
16 Ms Gho Sze Kee asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB has reached its targeted supply of 4,000 units under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme by the end of 2025; and (b) what does this mean for the success rate of just married or affianced couples applying to the scheme.
The Second Minister for National Development (Ms Indranee Rajah): The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme, or PPHS, provides subsidised rental housing for families awaiting the completion of their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. HDB has met its target of ramping up the PPHS supply to 4,000 units at the end of 2025.
In terms of allocation, households with at least one child aged 18 and below, as well as married couples expecting a child are given highest priority. Married couples without children and households with older children are next in priority, followed by fiancé-fiancée couples.
In recent exercises, all households in the highest priority tier and about 30% of households in the next priority tier were invited to select PPHS flats.
Mr Speaker: A quick, short one, Ms Gho.
Ms Gho Sze Kee (Mountbatten): I thank the Minister for her reply. I ask this question because I had many residents who came to see me about the PPHS and they were unsuccessful despite multiple attempts. I understand that the supply of these flats are from vacant Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Schemes (SERS) units. Are there other SERS flats available for the PPHS? Would the Ministry consider tapping other available supply of flats, such as returned units from Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS), to help alleviate the queue?
Ms Indranee Rajah: I thank the Member for her supplementary question. Our assessment is that about 4,000 flats, and maybe just a little bit more, would be the right steady state. Because in tandem with this, we are also ramping up the Shorter Waiting Time flats. So, you have to see this together.
In terms of whether that we are looking at additional flats, we are looking to see as many of the SERS vacant flats as we can. But there is a limited supply of vacant flats. For those that come back from the LBS, the ones that can be resold, those should be sold to those who can purchase. So, these are really ones that are available for rental.
But as I said, the two strategies go in tandem. The PPHS ramp-up came about really because of the housing crunch due to the COVID period and the difficulties in meeting our building programme. But we have caught up with the building programme, we are having more of the Shorter Waiting Time flats, and so, we anticipate we should be able to get to a steady state for the PPHS flats.
3.02 pm
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.
[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.]