OWNERSHIP/RENTAL OF HDB FLATS BY SINGLE PERSONS

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for National Development if he will ask the Housing and Development Board to allow single persons to continue to rent or own HDB flats when the nucleus family no longer exists because of the death of the only other person forming the family nucleus.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Under the Housing and Development Board's current policy, a single person who survives the death of the other members of his family nucleus must include a relative or any other person as an authorized occupier if he wishes to retain his flat. Sufficient time is given for this condition to be satisfied. The HDB has to follow this policy in view of the high demand for flats. In land-scarce Singapore, it is also not possible for the HDB to provide a flat for each single person.