HDB FLATS FOR ELDERLY SINGLES AND COUPLES

Mr Philip Tan Tee Yong asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board will consider incorporating into future HDB flats a hostel-like design to cater for elderly singles and/or couples who may need food and lodging while continuing to work after retirement age or for those elderly persons who may find their present flats too big and difficult to maintain.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the HDB is aware that over the next 10 to 20 years the proportion of the aged in the population will increase. To meet the housing needs of elderly persons, the Board is looking into the possibility of building studio apartments together with larger flat-types, such as the 4- and 5-room flats. This would enable the elderly persons to stay with their married children in separate, but adjacent, apartments. This also avoids isolating the elderly from the community at large which hostel-like arrangements tend to promote.

Elderly couples who find their present flats too big and difficult to maintain can apply for smaller flats. They can sell their present flats upon allocation of the smaller flats. If the existing flat is occupied for more than five years, they can sell it in the open market.