Housing Options for Divorcees

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the housing options available to divorcees who have to give up their HDB matrimonial homes due to the divorce; and (b) whether the 30-month debarment for HDB rental flats can be waived for low-income divorcees earning less than $1,500 per month.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Divorcees will have to meet public housing eligibility criteria like citizenship, family nucleus and age requirements, when they apply to retain their matrimonial flat or buy a new or resale HDB flat.

Nevertheless, we recognise that divorce often complicates housing arrangements. It can sometimes be difficult for divorcees to afford alternative housing after they have sold their matrimonial flat. We are sympathetic to their situations, particularly if they have young children to support.

For divorcees in financial hardship, HDB provides additional help to find housing solutions. HDB can help them source for a flat that is within their budget, or extend loans to reduce the upfront cost of purchasing another flat. HDB can also offer them temporary accommodation under the Interim Rental Housing Scheme while they rebuild their savings or work out more permanent housing arrangements. If home ownership is out of reach, HDB can consider offering them a public rental flat.

The 30-month debarment rule is imposed to deter people from selling their flats for cash and applying for the heavily subsidised rental flats. However, HDB goes through each application for rental housing carefully and has waived the rule for the truly needy divorcees who cannot afford other housing options and have no family support.

We will continue to study the housing needs of the low-income divorcees to see what more we can do to help. However, the problems confronting low-income divorcees often extend beyond housing. The larger social problem has to be tackled upstream and will have to involve other Ministries and social agencies for a more complete solution.

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