ADDITIONAL BALLOT CHANCES FOR UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS FOR HDB RENTAL FLATS UNDER PARENTHOOD PROVISIONAL HOUSING SCHEME
At MPS, I have come across cases of young couples who are keen to start families whilst waiting for their BTO flats but have repeatedly been balloted out of HDB rental flats under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). This is because of the relatively high demand. I therefore asked the Minister for National Development if applicants may be granted additional ballot chances similar to the priority scheme for first-time buyers of BTO flats for their subsequent applications. The Minister, in his reply, outlined the steps to ramp up the supply of PPHS units. My PQ and his answer may be found below.
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Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development whether applicants who have been unsuccessful in ballots for HDB rental flats under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme may be provided with additional ballot chances akin to the priority scheme for first-time buyers of BTO flats.
Mr Desmond Lee: We revised the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) eligibility conditions and balloting process in August 2021, to prioritise families with greater need for temporary housing while waiting for their new flats. Married couples with at least one child aged 18 and below, including those who are expecting their first child, enjoy priority in the PPHS ballot. We have also more than doubled the PPHS supply from 800 units in 2021 to about 2,000 units currently.
The PPHS application rate, or the number of applicants per flat offered in each exercise, has come down significantly, from over 20 times in 2021, to around three times this year. In recent exercises, all married couple applicants with children have had a chance to select a flat, along with other PPHS applicants.
We are working to double the PPHS supply to 4,000 units by 2025. This will allow more households to benefit from PPHS, even as we continue to prioritise married couples with children. We currently have no plans to provide additional ballot chances to any applicant group.
