Unit Declinations, Flatmate Change Requests and Follow-up Support Offered under Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) and JSS Operator-run Pilot

66 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development in the past three years (a) how many tenants on the Joint Singles Scheme and Joint Singles Scheme Operator-Run pilot have (i) declined offered units or (ii) requested for changes of flat mates due to co-tenancy issues; and (b) what follow-up support was provided in such cases.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Under the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS), applicants apply with a flat mate of their choice, while under the JSS Operator-Run (JSS-OR) model, applicants mutually agree to matches facilitated by the operator appointed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Where appropriate, HDB or its operator may provide counselling and mediation between the flat mates and, if need be, facilitate a change in flat mate. HDB facilitated about 400 requests for changes in flat-sharing arrangements over the last three years due to co-tenant issues, which forms about 2% of JSS and JSS-OR households.

The HDB has also implemented the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) typology with private bedrooms and shared facilities, offering singles an alternative option to the JSS or JSS-OR model. HDB will be scaling up the JSS-OR and SRSF in the coming years to better meet the needs of our single tenants.