Lease Tenure Selection for Community Care Apartment Applicants at Time of Flat Selection

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider reviewing its policy and allow applicants for Community Care Apartments to select their lease tenure at the time of flat selection instead of at the time of HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) Letter application.

The Community Care Apartment (CCA) is a public housing assisted living concept designed to expand the continuum of housing options for seniors aged 65 and above. CCA integrates senior-friendly housing with care services that can be scaled according to individual needs. It provides seniors with a home for life by offering flexible lease lengths of between 15 and 35 years, in five-year increments, to cover applicants and their spouses (if any) till at least the age of 95. The choice of lease length is made at flat selection, based on the age of the youngest applicant/spouse at the time of their application for a Housing and Development Board (HDB) Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter.

Using the age at the time of HFE letter application allows HDB to be fair and consistent to all applicants across different sales launches or Build-To-Order (BTO) projects, which have different flat selection schedules. For example, even within the same BTO project, flat selection timing can vary by several months. This variation introduces uncertainty, which may, in turn, impact buyers' financial planning and purchase decision.

CCA buyers with extenuating circumstances, who require a deviation from this lease tenure computation methodology, can approach HDB for assistance. HDB will review such appeals on a case-by-case basis. We will also take in the Member's feedback in our regular policy reviews to ensure that we continue to meet the diverse needs of households, taking into account prevailing conditions.