Debated in Parliament on 6 Mar 2023.
Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) for the past three years, how many housing assistance appeals were received from residents who were ineligible for public rental housing and cannot afford to rent from the open market; (b) what was the outcome of these appeals, including the percentage that were unsuccessful; (c) what were the alternatives provided; and (d) with the expansion of the Progressive Wage Model, whether the Ministry anticipates an increase in appeals and how it ensures that low-income workers have access to housing.
When assessing requests for public rental housing, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) adopts a holistic and needs-based approach and does not reject applicants based on income alone. Various factors, such as applicants’ circumstances, household size, family support and ability to afford other housing options, are also considered. Applicants may be ineligible for multiple reasons, including not meeting the citizenship requirement, or having alternative housing options, such as being able to afford a flat or having family members who can accommodate them.
We do not specifically track the number of appeals from residents who were ineligible for public rental housing and cannot afford to rent from the open market. Nonetheless, applicants who do not have family support and do not have other housing options will be assisted with a public rental flat.
Those who are ineligible for public rental housing and cannot afford to rent from the open market may consider other housing options, such as staying with their families or friends, to minimise their financial outlay. For lower-income households who are waiting for their new BTO flats to be completed and have no other temporary housing options, HDB may offer them interim rental flats on a case-by-case basis.
The expansion of the Progressive Wage Model will increase the wages of more lower-wage workers, putting them in a better position to purchase homes of their own. We also have various generous housing grants and subsidies that they can tap on, such as the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant and Step-Up CPF Housing Grant. For those who are not ready for home ownership and have no other housing options, HDB will assess their applications holistically and consider them for public rental housing.
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