Debated in Parliament on 8 May 2017.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for National Development with regard to the non-citizen quota for subletting of flats (a) how many HDB subletting applications have been rejected due to this quota for the past two years; and (b) whether there is any concession or priority given to subletting applications by flat owners who have non-citizen tenants who have been staying in the same HDB unit for many years.
The Non-Citizen (NC) quota for subletting of flats was implemented to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves and to maintain the Singaporean character of our Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands. Once the quota for a block is reached, no further subletting applications, whether a new or renewal application, will be accepted.
Tenants affected by the NC quota generally have no difficulty finding accommodation in other areas. Nevertheless, HDB exercises flexibility for a small number of cases to allow renewals of flat sublets to NC tenants when the quota is reached, including those who have been staying in the same flat for many years.
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