Age Requirement for Co-tenant of Subsidised HDB Rental Flats

Mr David Ong asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the rationale for ensuring that a co-tenant of a subsidised HDB rental flat must be aged 35 years old and above; and (b) whether the HDB will consider relaxing such requirements where the co-tenants are young children or adults under the age of 18 years who live with and are financially dependent on a low-income single parent who is the main tenant of the subsidised rental flat.

The Minister of State for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for National Development): **** Mdm Speaker, our public housing policy is pro-family, with priority allocation of HDB flats accorded to families. The minimum age of 35 is applied to all singles who wish to rent or buy a HDB flat, so as to encourage family formation.

A widowed or divorced parent with children under custody, care and control, can rent a HDB flat as a family nucleus. An unmarried parent is considered a single and will need to pair up with another eligible single to rent under the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS).

On a case-by-case basis, HDB may exercise flexibility in allocating a flat to an unmarried parent and a child.