Waiting Time for BTO Flats for Singles

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) to date, what is the number of single applicants who have applied and yet to secure their 2-room BTO flats; and (b) what is the estimated waiting time for these singles to secure their flats.

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (for the Minister for National Development): Madam, from July 2013, singles were allowed to buy 2-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flats. Since then, about 18,300 singles had applied and about 9,000 were able to select a flat. The remaining 9,300 did not have a chance to select a flat. Some may have gone on with other housing plans. Many will try again at upcoming BTO launches.

HDB does not have the waiting time statistics, as it will vary according to factors such as the popularity of the BTO projects and the applicants' preferences.

As a new scheme, some pent-up demand is expected. HDB has ramped up the supply from 2,600 units of 2-room BTO flats in 2013 to about 5,000 units in 2014. Singles application rates have accordingly fallen, from a high of 58 applicants to one flat in July 2013, to 13 to one flat in November 2014. We will continue to help applicants to secure their flat faster.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. For this year's 16,500 BTOs flats, may I know what is the percentage that would be 2-room flats made available to singles?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Madam, we have announced that we will launch about 16,500 BTO flats, of which about 5,000 would be 2-room flats. Not all of these 2-room flats are for singles. As the Member mentioned earlier, the quota is such that we reserve about 30% of the 2-room flats for singles, because we also need to meet the needs and demands of our first-time families as well as second-timers who require smaller flats. But our experience is such that where there are leftovers from the families and second-timers, these leftover 2-room flats will then be allocated to the singles. If we talk about 5,000 out of 16,500 launches for this year, one third will be 2-room flats that will be launched by HDB.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Thank you, Mdm Speaker. With the demand from the newly-weds easing now -- because I do not see so many of them coming to MPS now -- can the Ministry consider allocating higher quota for the singles?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: We are monitoring the situation but, as mentioned earlier, our data show that for 2013 and 2014, although the quota for singles is 30%, the gross figure shows that about 77% of the two-room flats were allocated to singles. Even if the quota today stays at 30%, the actual numbers that were taken up or allocated to singles are much higher. We will continue to monitor the situation. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah said, that if the demand from first-timers as well as families is coming down, we will consider the possibility of increasing the quota for the singles. But we will continue to monitor the situation.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: My next question is: will HDB consider giving an extra chance for those repeated so-called unsuccessful applicant, for each failure?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Madam, I think we have to be fair to all applicants. But as we treat the families or first-time applicants also, sometimes we take a look at those cases, those who have applied many, many times and they have had difficulties, we try to look at them on a case-by-case basis, and to try to assist them accordingly. We can also assist the singles in that manner; looking at the circumstances of their situation and the number of times they have not been successful in applying for a flat.

By and large, as mentioned earlier, the proportion has come down and the number of singles who have been able to secure their 2-room flats is much better. As we go on, in the future, we suspect that as we meet the pent-up demand, things will stabilise and they will be able to get their flats in due course.