HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD RENTAL FLATS (Availability)

HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD RENTAL FLATS:

(Availability): 15.

Ms Indranee Rajah asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether all available HDB rental units have been rented out; (b) if not, what is the number which has been rented out and the number which has not; and (c) which are the areas where there are still available rental flats

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, HDB lets out 1- and 2-room flats at heavily subsidised rents to low income citizen families under the Public Rental Scheme. As at 31st July this year, HDB has a stock of about 41,400 1- and 2-room rental flats availaible for letting. Of these, 37,400 or more than 90% are currently let out. The balance of 4,000 flats, slightly less than 10%, are located mainly in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Chai Chee, Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh. HDB will continue to avail its rental flats to low income families, as well as those who are facing financial hardship.

Ms Indranee Rajah (Tanjong Pagar): May I ask theMinister ofState whether, in view of the fact that there are some available rental units,MND would consider a review of the policy, whereby it does not allow rental of units to families whereone spouse is a Singaporean and the other is non-Singaporean, unless there is a Singaporean child. The reason I ask this is that usually you need a roof over your head to engage in the activity that would result in a Singaproean child. And, there are cases where there are low income families who come to see me with this difficulty, and it is a genunie hardship for them. So, I am wondering if MND would review that policy.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Sir, to qualify for a HDB rental flat the applicant must be a Singapore citizen and must have another family member who is at least a Singapore citizen or PR. So, households comprising a Singaporean citizen with a foreigner, who is a non-PR spouse, does not meet the minimum citizenship requirements to rent a flat from HDB. However, as soon as the spouse has obtained permanent residency status, or if the couple has a Singapore citizen or PR child, HDB would consider the application.

Ms Indranee Rajah: Sir, that does not answer my question, which really is that sometimes, in order to get achild,the family unit needs to have housing. So I was just wondering if the Ministry would consider a review of that policy.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: There are many housing options that are available to them. If they can afford, of course, there is rentalhousing in the open market. HDB subsidies, as Members know, are very heavy for rental flats, and we would like to reserve them primarily for the benefit of Singaporeans. However, if there are very extreme cases of hardship, certainly HDB would considerthem. HDB would not leave people living in the streets, so to speak.