Focus on HDB (Part 3): Shorter queue for HDB rental flats- Really?

June 6, 2011

Leong Sze Hian/

Mdm Tin (not her real name), a 34 year old divorcee, whose highest education is PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination), has been living with her eight year old daughter, in a homeless shelter, for
more than a year.

Homeless shelter
The homeless shelter, has no sign board, and I understand houses about 100 women and children, as it is a homeless shelter for women and children, run by a religious organisation.

Mdm Tin was divorced from her husband in 2009, on grounds of adultery.

Her ex-husband is required to pay $200 a month maintenance for her daughter’s expenses.

Block 29, Havelock Road, a rental flat

Appeals for rental flat

She has made several appeals to HDB and her former Member of Parliament (MP) who lost in the recent elections, over the last one-and- a-half years or so, to rent a HDB rental flat.

As part of her divorce proceedings, she had to sell her 5-room HDB flat in 2009, without any cash proceeds to either herself of her ex-husband.

She also went to see her new MP at the Meet-the-people session (MPS) a few days ago to appeal for a rental flat, which was just days before she was given her eviction notice.

Shorter queue?

Since the HDB says that the rental queue has been reduced from 4,600 in 2009 to 1,700 now, and the waiting period from an average of 21 months in 2008 to about eight months currently (“More rental flats
needed, say MPs”, Channel NewsAsia, May 30), shouldn’t a family in Mdm Tin’s dire situation of homelessness have been given priority?

CDC assistance?

Since some Mayors of Community Development Councils (CDCs) recently said that they are looking into speeding up better financial assistance to needy Singaporeans (“New Mayors working on simplifying
procedures for financial assistance”, Channel NewsAsia, Jun 2), how will her CDC Mayor help her now that she is being evicted?

After all, it was the Family Care Centre under the CDC which referred her to the homeless shelter in the first place.

Homeless and Jobless

Not only is she about to be homeless again, she also lost her job a few months ago, due to her medical condition.

In this connection, she has shown her Medical report to the homeless shelter.

She was working as an administrative clerk, for $1,300 a month, or about $1,000 net after her CPF contribution.

Mdm Tin’s greatest concern now – how and when should she break the news of their eviction to her daughter?

 

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.