HDB data that never mention or ask the obvious one lah?
I refer to the article “Singles and small families occupy public rental flats” (Straits Times, Jul 30).
It states that “The Tans are typical of tenants of the 50,000 rental flats islandwide, with recent figures from the Housing Board (HDB) providing a rare snapshot of the demographics of people who live in this segment of Singapore’s public housing.
Under the public rental scheme, eligible Singaporeans earning $1,500 or less pay rents between $26 and $275, depending on the size of their flat and whether they have bought subsidised housing before.
The average age of public rental flat applicants is 43 years, and the average age of children in these flats is 11. The majority of households in rental flats have four members or fewer.
About 40 per cent of rental households are formed by singles. They are either sole occupiers after their family members died, or people who applied under the Joint Singles Scheme, where they share the flat with another single.
And many of those who rent, tend to do so for a long time.
A quarter of public rental flat occupants have lived in their current flat for less than five years, and about half have lived there for more than 10 years.
The Housing Board also notes that many renters have also managed to find their way out.
Last year, almost 1,000 rental households became home owners, thanks to grants for first-timers as well as the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which gives eligible second-timer families up to $35,000.”
My friends said “aiyah, this one 151st not worth the paper it is printed on at its best again lah!
Half page article about HDB data, but never mention the obvious or ask the questions that everybody have been asking lah?
For example, never say or ask why the household income ceiling of S$1,500 per month to apply rental flat, has not increased since 2003?
HDB flat prices keep going up – got inflation – but the poor rentees – no inflation one hor!
Also never say or ask why must find another stranger who is single and the combined income must also be below $1,500 – first world country mah – must go everywhere asking and looking for single strangers who earn very little lor!
Also never mention or ask why if say pay increase by $80 ($64 after deducting 20% CPF) – HDB rental (2-room) will go up by $110 from $165 (income below $800) to $275 (income over $800) lah!
Now you know why some rentees refuse to take pay increase lah!
This type of HDB policies so stupid – no brain and no heart one!
Also never say or ask why the proportion of Malay families living in HDB rental flats has doubled in the last decade till 2015 (government’s own figures hor)?
In 2015, there were 14,600 rental households headed by a Malay.
This was 10.9% of all Malay-headed households, up from 4.9% in 2005, according to the General Household Survey in March 2016.
Also never say or ask why the HDB has increased the rental flat supply from 42,000 units in 2007 to 53,500 in 2016, and will boost this to 60,000 by 2017?
Eh, why say in 2016 will boost to 60,000 by 2017, but then 151st now say only 50,000 – shrinking statistics is it or maybe HDB changed its mind is it?
Also never say or ask why the % share of HDB 1 & 2-room flats was at its highest in 10 years (2005 – 2015), at 5.6% from the low of 3.9% in 2008?
Heh, what does “majority of households in rental flats have four members or fewer” mean lah? That as many as 49% have 5 people or more is it lah?
This kind of English from what school har!
Wah, so good hor – 1,000 rental households became home owners, thanks to grants up to $35,000 – heh, how many of the 1,000 got the maximum of $35,000 man?
Oh, whatever happened to earn less than $1,000 also can buy HDB? S0, how many in history like this type one hah?”
Leong Sze Hian
