HDB moves to help families live closer

SINGAPORE — Starting from the joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise later this month, a proportion of new flat supply will be set aside for first-timers and second-timers looking to live near or with their families.

Under the enhanced Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), up to 30 per cent of the flat supply will be set aside for MCPS first-timer families and up to 15 per cent for second-timer families. The allocation varies between mature and non-mature estates, as well as among flat types.

First priority will be extended to two groups of applicants: Parents and married children who apply for a flat to live together under one roof, and parents who own a flat in a mature estate and who apply for a BTO flat in a non-mature estate to move near their married child.

Previously, family members who wished to live close to one another received extra ballot chances for their new flat applications.

Announcing the details of the enhanced scheme yesterday, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said these applicants make up about one-quarter of flat bookings at each exercise.

“With effect from November’s BTO and SBF exercises, the MCPS will be converted from a chance-based to a quota-based priority scheme to offer such applicants significantly higher chances of success,” it added.

The Government’s intent to enhance the scheme was first announced last month by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan, citing suggestions that came up during the recent Housing Conversations dialogue sessions.

Mr Khaw had said: “The end result of it all is we hope we can help such families who want to stay near one another to be able to achieve their dream, because it is a very practical arrangement.”

Property analysts welcomed yesterday’s announcement. Mr Chris Koh, director of Chris International, said: “Children will be encouraged to stay near their parents ... They know (that) they stand a stronger chance of getting the flat.”

Mr Colin Tan, director and head of research and consultancy at Suntec Real Estate Consultants, noted that the Government is doing this after having cleared the backlog of first-time applicants.

Hence, other groups of buyers will not be unduly affected by the allocation, he said.

He noted that some sociologists have cited the issue of young couples living some distance away from their parents as a potential factor for the country’s low fertility rate, given that these couples are unable to enjoy their parents’ support in starting a family. So in that sense, giving priority now is to remove any obstacles,” he said.

Later this month, the HDB will offer 4,277 BTO flats in Sembawang, Sengkang, Tampines and Yishun. Another 3,000 flats will be put up for sale in a concurrent SBF exercise.