November 24, 2008
Singapore - Public Housing Apartments
Singapore will provide more 2-room and 3-room government flats next year. This was announced by Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan in Parliament when addressing the rising demand for such units. He said that this would help lower income families to own their own homes, as well as those that needed to downgrade their homes in these troubled times
Home ownership has always been a primary focus of the government. Since it came into power in 1965, the PAP (People’s Action Party) has been busily building affordable public housing to meet the needs of the general population. From modest 5 storey 1 and 2 room walk up flats in early years to the 50 storey 4 and 5 room apartments today, the government has always monitored the changing housing trends in supply and demand.
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Practical Public Housing
The approach to public housing has been a based on trial and error. After more than 40 years of holding the reigns, the PAP has now adopted a build-to-order system in determining the number of public housing units to be constructed. This system caters to the majority of existing and incumbent owners of such units. But the aim of supplying more 2 and 3 room dwellings is to cater to a small ratio of such owners.
Recognizing the plight of lower income families, though they be few in number is how the government has been able to remain relevant to its population all these years. The rapid construction of these smaller dwellings is evidence of this. In today’s ever changing world, a country as small as Singapore can only survive if it adapts in tandem to the sudden changes of these modern times.
Public housing must be practical if it is to cater to the needs of the people. And it is this founding principle that has now prompted the government to adjust its direction in ensuring that as many people as possible can afford to buy their own homes. People are Singapore’s most vital resource.
Public Housing Across the Board
As a broad-based middle income society, it is of no surprise that the majority of Singapore’s public housing units cater to this category of wager earners. A lot of emphasis has been put into ensuring that people can afford to own their own homes. The government sees home ownership as a means to encourage people to take an active stake in Singapore’s future as a nation. With this concept in mind, public housing remains affordable at realistic prices. The HDB (Housing Development Board) ensures that this is so.
The HDB’s Design, Build and Sell Scheme is the latest scheme that the government has introduced in it’s efforts to maintain the ratio of supply to demand in public housing. By virtue of the demand for specific types of flats, clusters of such flat types are constructed once a minimum percentage of take-up has been reached or after 4 years of public offering. This scheme is ideal in regulating the supply of public housing to the upper middle income households.
General Categorization of HDB Apartments
From the small first generation HDB 5 to 10 storey flats that share a common corridor to the condominium-like apartments complete with lush landscaping and aesthetic interior and exterior design that cater to the upper middle class, public housing constitutes more than 80 percent of the homes in Singapore. A general categorization allocates 1 (studio) and 2 room flats for lower income households while 3 and 4 room apartments cater to the broader middle income households. Flatted double storey massionettes, 5 room apartments, and executive apartments predominantly cater to the upper middle income households.
Note: Limited batches of multigeneration 6 and 7 room flats were constructed in the mid 1980s. Construction of this flat type was discontinued shortly after due to poor demand.
Filed under Asia, Singapore by terence yap singapore









