Extension of Public Rental Scheme to 3-Room Flats

Debated in Parliament on 12 Aug 2013.

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Lim Biow Chuan asked if HDB would allow larger families to rent 3-room flats, what plans exist for existing 3-room rental stock, and whether affordable rental options would be provided for those ineligible for the Public Rental Scheme.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that 3-room flats have not been rented out for over 30 years to promote home ownership, with focus on subsidised 1- and 2-room rentals for lower-income families to help them save and eventually buy homes.
HDB continues to assist the remaining 600 households in 3-room rental flats to upgrade or move to smaller units, while converting vacant 3-room flats for other uses or smaller rentals.
Eligibility criteria are in place to target the truly needy, but HDB may exercise flexibility for genuine hardship cases even if criteria are not fully met.
The government aims to balance housing affordability, home ownership goals, and support for the needy without expanding 3-room rentals broadly.

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Full Transcript

Lim Biow Chuan

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will review the Public Rental Scheme to allow the rental of 3-room flats to larger families; (b) what are the current plans for the existing stock of 3-room rental flats; and (c) whether there are plans by HDB to provide affordable HDB rental flats for citizens who are not eligible under the Public Rental Scheme.

Khaw Boon Wan

We stopped letting out 3-room public rental flats more than 30 years ago. This is to encourage home ownership for the vast majority of Singaporeans, while we focus on helping the lower income group who cannot yet afford a sold flat, to rent 1- or 2-room rental flats. The highly subsidised rental rates for these 1- and 2-room rental flats keep the rent burden low for tenants. This helps them, especially larger families with higher expenses, build up their savings and progress to home ownership when they are ready.

Currently, there are still about 600 public rental households in 3-room rental flats. HDB continues to help these tenants upgrade to home ownership or move on to a smaller rental flat to save on rental expenses. The vacant 3-room flats are then put to alternative use, or conversion to smaller rental flats.

We have a set of eligibility criteria to safeguard rental flats for the truly needy. However, where there are genuine hardship cases, HDB does exercise flexibility, even if they do not fulfill the eligibility criteria.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Lim Biow Chuan asked if HDB would allow larger families to rent 3-room flats, what plans exist for existing 3-room rental stock, and whether affordable rental options would be provided for those ineligible for the Public Rental Scheme.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that 3-room flats have not been rented out for over 30 years to promote home ownership, with focus on subsidised 1- and 2-room rentals for lower-income families to help them save and eventually buy homes.
HDB continues to assist the remaining 600 households in 3-room rental flats to upgrade or move to smaller units, while converting vacant 3-room flats for other uses or smaller rentals.
Eligibility criteria are in place to target the truly needy, but HDB may exercise flexibility for genuine hardship cases even if criteria are not fully met.
The government aims to balance housing affordability, home ownership goals, and support for the needy without expanding 3-room rentals broadly.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Extension of Public Rental Scheme to 3-Room Flats

Debated in Parliament on 12 Aug 2013.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Lim Biow Chuan asked if HDB would allow larger families to rent 3-room flats, what plans exist for existing 3-room rental stock, and whether affordable rental options would be provided for those ineligible for the Public Rental Scheme.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that 3-room flats have not been rented out for over 30 years to promote home ownership, with focus on subsidised 1- and 2-room rentals for lower-income families to help them save and eventually buy homes.
HDB continues to assist the remaining 600 households in 3-room rental flats to upgrade or move to smaller units, while converting vacant 3-room flats for other uses or smaller rentals.
Eligibility criteria are in place to target the truly needy, but HDB may exercise flexibility for genuine hardship cases even if criteria are not fully met.
The government aims to balance housing affordability, home ownership goals, and support for the needy without expanding 3-room rentals broadly.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Lim Biow Chuan

Khaw Boon Wan

Summary written by AI (learn more)

Lim Biow Chuan asked if HDB would allow larger families to rent 3-room flats, what plans exist for existing 3-room rental stock, and whether affordable rental options would be provided for those ineligible for the Public Rental Scheme.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that 3-room flats have not been rented out for over 30 years to promote home ownership, with focus on subsidised 1- and 2-room rentals for lower-income families to help them save and eventually buy homes.
HDB continues to assist the remaining 600 households in 3-room rental flats to upgrade or move to smaller units, while converting vacant 3-room flats for other uses or smaller rentals.
Eligibility criteria are in place to target the truly needy, but HDB may exercise flexibility for genuine hardship cases even if criteria are not fully met.
The government aims to balance housing affordability, home ownership goals, and support for the needy without expanding 3-room rentals broadly.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Extension of Public Rental Scheme to 3-Room Flats | PAPERCUTS

Extension of Public Rental Scheme to 3-Room Flats

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Lim Biow Chuan

Khaw Boon Wan

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Extension of Public Rental Scheme to 3-Room Flats

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Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Lim Biow Chuan

Khaw Boon Wan

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Questions Identified