Housing and Development Board (HDB)
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The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the national public housing authority of Singapore and it is currently headquartered at HDB Hub in Toa Payoh. It was formed in February 1960, shortly after Singapore attained self-government, to alleviate the severe housing shortage facing the state at the time. Through the years, the emphasis of its housing programmes has shifted from quantity of housing to quality of life. Since 1985, its flats have been housing over 80% of Singapore's resident population.
Background
HDB was formed as a direct result of the failure of its predecessor, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), to provide adequate housing for the people. SIT was established in 1927 by the colonial government at a time when Singapore was facing an acute housing shortage. By the time SIT was replaced by HDB in 1960, the housing problem had worsened significantly as its building programmes had fallen far short of what was required to keep pace with the fast-growing population.
The first step towards the formation of HDB was taken in August 1958 with the introduction of the Housing and Development Bill in the legislative assembly. The bill was passed in January 1959 and came into effect on 1 February 1960, thus bringing HDB into existence to succeed SIT as Singapore's housing authority. Its primary function was to build and manage housing units for the low-income groups, and it had to produce the maximum output in the minimum time and at the lowest possible cost.
In less than four years, it managed to build more housing units than SIT did in all its years of operation. From 1960 to 1963, HDB completed 30,906 dwelling units, whereas SIT built only 22,115 dwelling units over a 32-year period. In 1966, HDB declared that it had broken the back of the housing problem. At the end of 1959, only 9% of the total population was living in SIT flats. But by the end of 1965, 23% of the total population was living in HDB flats. As a result of HDB's sustained effort, more than 80% of Singapore's resident population was living in its flats by 1985, and the figure has remained above 80% ever since.
Primary Role
Since 1960, HDB's primary function has been to build and manage public housing. Its comprehensive housing programmes have involved the provision of not only the residential units but also the supporting facilities in the housing estates such as shops, childcare centres, carparks and industrial workshops.
Over the years, the nature of its role as the provider of public housing in Singapore has changed and it has been evolving constantly to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the population. In the beginning, the focus was on the mass production of affordable, standardised housing for the low-income groups. Today, HDB flats also cater to the middle-income groups and there is more emphasis on providing a higher quality and a wider choice of flats. Beyond the flat itself, there is now also more attention given to the overall quality of the housing estate in terms of the amenities provided, aesthetic appeal and visual identity.
Milestones
Sale of Flats
With 95% of HDB flats being owner-occupied units, HDB's contribution to Singapore's high home ownership rate of 90% cannot be understated. Initially, it built flats only for rental. But in 1964, it began selling flats under a home ownership scheme. In 1968, the government implemented another scheme that allowed Central Provident Fund (CPF) members to use the funds in their CPF accounts to finance their purchase of HDB flats instead of relying solely on their take-home pay. Together, the two schemes have steadily raised the HDB home ownership rate to the level that it is today. To help married couples buy their first HDB flat, a housing grant has been given since 1994 to subsidise their purchase of a flat from the resale market, with those who choose to live near their parents enjoying a higher quantum.
HDB has also been easing its eligibility conditions to give more people a chance to own its flats. For example, the citizenship criterion was relaxed in 1989 to allow Singapore permanent residents to own HDB flats. But perhaps the most significant change by far is the revision of the policy on singles. In 1991, it was announced that single citizens who were at least 35 years old could purchase HDB flats on their own, though they were limited to only three-room or smaller flats outside the central area. After two revisions to the scheme in 2001 and 2004, eligible singles may now purchase flats of any type in any location.
In 2001, HDB launched the build-to-order (BTO) system of selling new flats in non-mature estates as an alternative to the existing registration for flats system (RFS) which had left it with a large stock of unsold flats. Under the BTO system, it would invite applications for the flats to be built on the proposed sites and start building only if most of the units had been booked. This system would thus allow HDB to increase or reduce its supply of flats according to demand. RFS was suspended in 2002 and the BTO system is now the main mode of sale for new flats.
Types of Flats
During its first decade of operation, HDB built only one- to four-room flats. Five-room flats were then introduced in the 1970s and executive apartments and maisonettes in the 1980s in response to the demand for bigger flats. Periodically, HDB has also made improvements to each flat type in terms of size and design. To cater to the needs of Singapore's ageing population, it unveiled a special range of flats called studio apartments in 1997. Smaller than three-room flats, these apartments are partially furnished and fitted with elderly-friendly features such as emergency pull cords linked to an alert system for summoning help. Adding to the variety of public housing is the design, build and sell scheme (DBSS) introduced in 2005. Under DBSS, designated sites are sold to private developers, who are then responsible for designing, building and selling the flats.
An intermediate category of housing to bridge the gap between HDB flats and private condominiums was introduced in 1995. Called executive condominiums, these units offer the standard of private condominium living but at lower prices even though they are built and sold by private developers. However, buyers have to meet eligibility criteria similar to those applicable to purchases of HDB flats. In addition, the reselling of such units is subject to certain restrictions, which are lifted only after a minimum occupation period of ten years.
Estate Renewal Strategy
Since the 1990s, HDB has adopted a comprehensive estate renewal strategy that consists of various upgrading programmes aimed at improving the living environment of its residents. The first programme, called the main upgrading programme, was launched in 1990. Under this programme, improvement works are carried out within the flat and at the block and precinct levels. In 1995, HDB launched the selective en-bloc redevelopment scheme, which involves the demolition of entire blocks for redevelopment. Smaller-scale programmes have also been developed since 1990 to bring the benefits of upgrading to more residents. These include the home improvement programme launched in 2007 that targets common maintenance problems within the flat such as spalling concrete and ceiling leaks.
Author
Valerie Chew
References
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Housing and Development Board. (2005, October 27). HDB launches sale of site at Tampines Avenue 6 by tender under the design, build and sale scheme (DBSS) pilot project [Press release]. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10296p.nsf/PressReleases/0F95697BFD6726B9482570A70035842E?OpenDocument
Housing and Development Board. (2007). About studio apartments. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10201p.nsf/WPDis/Buying%20A%20New%20HDB%20Flat%20(e-Sales)About%20Studio%20Apartments?OpenDocument
Housing and Development Board. (2007, August 21). HDB introduces two new upgrading programmes [Press release]. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10296p.nsf/PressReleases/608F537015E1B7794825733E0009ECCB?OpenDocument
Housing and Development Board. (2008). Annual report 2007/2008. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10221p.nsf/Attachment/AR0708/$file/HDB%20AR%202008.pdf
Housing and Development Board. (2009, October 1). HDB increases flat supply to meet demand [Press release]. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10296p.nsf/0/7483E132B5BB19EF48257642000DD0D0?OpenDocument
Lim, L. (2002, May 19). HDB scraps queue system for its flats. The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.
Singles will be able to buy HDB flats of any size in resale market: PM Lee. (2004, August 29). Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from Factiva database.
Tan, H. Y. (1997, November 6). HDB to sell studio flats for the elderly. The Straits Times. Retrieved January 21, 2011, from NewspaperSG.
2 new boards take over from the S.I.T. (1960, February 1). The Straits Times, Home, p.7. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from NewspaperSG database.
The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Residential Buildings
Politics and Government
Public housing--Singapore
Law and government>>National development>>Housing development