PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN SINGAPORE

PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN SINGAPORE: 5.

Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) how serious is the problem of homelessness in Singapore; (b) what measures are being taken to provide shelter to the homeless; (c) what are the primary causes of homelessness; and (d) whether there is any coordination among the various Government agencies to assist the homeless as their problems are usually multi-faceted.

The Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Sir, in 2009, around 299 persons were referred to MCYS for evaluation of their housing needs. Most of them had housing difficulties because they were either estranged from their families or their flats had been repossessed or they had sold their flats and had not been able to buy another one. MCYS works very closely with the Community Development Councils as well as the voluntary welfare organisations to provide comprehensive social and financial assistance to such persons. There are a variety of housing options available for them depending on their individual circumstances. For instance, where possible, the HDB will assist them to buy a flat within their means. For those who need temporary accommodation whilst working on a longer term housing solution, HDB will also refer them to interim rental housing which is managed by the private sector. If they are still unable to afford their own accommodation and they have no other family

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members who can help, then the HDB will assist them with rental flats under the public rental scheme.

Persons who need short-term accommodation may also be referred to transitional shelters which are run by the VWOs. Currently, we have two of them providing such services – the new HOPE Community Services and the Lakeside Family Centre.

Apart from housing, social workers will also work with the family to help them resolve their multiple social, financial and employment problems, because the truth is housing is just one dimension of the variety of problems which this family may be confronting.

At the end of 2009, 148 families have been assisted through this scheme, of which 107 families have been discharged to alternative housing arrangements. The final and last resort for those who are unable to work and have no family members is to be admitted to a Government-funded welfare home for destitute persons.

Mr Speaker, Sir, families facing financial and housing difficulties should get help as early as possible. They should call the ComCare hotline at 1800-2220000. I really want to emphasise that losing a home is one of the most emotionally wrenching exercises I think any family can undergo. And what all of us need to do is to try our best to prevent them from reaching that stage. By the time they reach MCYS, I think the problems have already accumulated beyond a point which we should be satisfied with. So, whilst MCYS will continue to do as much as we can, we will still continue to focus on upstream efforts in order to prevent them reaching that stage.

Mdm Halimah Yacob (Jurong): Sir, I have a few supplementary questions for

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the Minister. There have been views expressed that some of the shelters provided, for instance, like the Angsana Home, are not very conducive because they restrict movement and even make it difficult for the homeless to go out to work. How true is this complaint?

Secondly, I would also like to ask the Minister whether shelters like the Angsana Home is suitable for the homeless with families, especially those with young children, in view of the way in which the shelter is organised.

The third question I would like to ask the Minister is how easy is it really for the homeless to get rental homes or interim housing option, because there are also views expressed that it is actually very difficult to get the rental homes once they have lost their homes.

My final question is to ask the Minister what is the impact of homelessness on the children. I think the worst is on the children because a lot of feedback I receive is that the children's education is badly affected. And if that is the case, there will be a cycle of poverty. We need to prevent that. What additional measures are put in place by MCYS to assist these children?

Mr Speaker: Dr Balakrishnan, you have four minutes.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Four minutes for four supplementary questions! Nevertheless, they are all very valid questions.

On the first point on Angsana Home, or the homes that we run for the destitute, I think any Member here who would like a conducted tour of the home is welcome to do so. And we will show that this is a clean and safe place. It is not luxurious and not comfortable but it

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provides decent housing for people who, as I have said, have no other option, and it is a last resort.

There was a question about whether we restrict the movement of people in Angsana Home. Well, there are some rules in place. We need some rules in place, first, to ensure the security of the all the other residents. Secondly, there are many people in that Home who are in there because they have been brought in under the Destitute Persons Act, which means that they may not necessarily be there on a voluntary basis. So there are some rules and there are some restrictions on the movement of people in and out of Angsana Home. Nevertheless, for those who need to work or who need to conduct other matters which require transactions outside the Home, I am sure the management of the Home will work sympathetically and flexibly with them. But I need Members to understand that there is a need for some rules.

The other point which Mdm Halimah brought up is about the options for families. The key thing really is to keep families together. And that is why we always encourage them, wherever possible, to stay with their relatives or if it is not possible, go for interim housing run by the private sector which HDB will refer them to. The other resort is to go to New Hope or to Lakeside Family Centre. These are units which HDB has assigned to these two VWOs. Again, they are not comfortable because, obviously, they are not totally private in the same context which you would have, if you were in your own home. The other point is that the reason they are in interim housing is not so much just to provide housing, but rather to give an opportunity for the social workers who are involved with the VWOs to help sort out their problems. In other words, it requires a family to be prepared to work actively to resolve problems and to seek self-reliance. It is not a long-term permanent form of housing.

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As the Member has said, therefore, it is not necessarily easy. If someone just comes up and says, "I want housing but don't interfere with me and my life, and sort out all my other social problems," then it will be difficult.

The final point is the most important point. We are most concerned about the impact on children, and that is why I have taken such an active stance to make sure that we do not have people camping out on beaches or parks or void decks, even though these may be safe and indeed sometimes even pleasant areas for adults. These are not good and safe areas for children. So I have insisted that for any family with children, the children must be put in a proper home. They must continue to go to school. They must continue to get access to good food and good hygiene. And if any family has difficulty providing these things for their children, then MCYS will step in, and we will step in assertively, if need be, in order to protect the children. So the Member can rest assured that I will do my best to make sure that children do not suffer unnecessarily for the problems which adults sometimes bring upon their own families.

12.30 pm

Mr Speaker: End of Question Time.

[ Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 6-8, 10, 16 and 17 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix*. Question Nos. 9, 11-15 and 18-22 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 3rd March 2010. ]

*Cols. 2551-2562.