MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME AS CRITERION FOR SETTING HDB RENTALS FOR THOSE ON PARENTHOOD PROVISIONAL HOUSING SCHEME

It may not be as well known that rental rates for PPHS flats are based on, amongst others, location. For eg, a 3-room PPHS may be rented for $600 at Marsiling. The amount goes up to $900 in Clementi for the same type of unit. At MPS recently, I met a couple who could not afford to pay the higher rent and sought assistance. I therefore asked the Minister for National Development whether monthly household income can be taken into consideration when setting rent for PPHS units. This is the case for Public Rental units. The Minister, in his reply, conveyed that such units are already subsidized. He made other points too. My PQ and his reply may be accessed through this link.

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Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development apart from location and flat type, whether the monthly household income of families may also be factored into the setting of rental rates of HDB flats for families under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.

Mr Desmond Lee: The rental rates under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) are set taking into consideration the monthly household incomes of eligible families, and are highly subsidised to ensure that they are affordable for these families. For example, the rents for 3-room flats, which form the bulk of the PPHS flat supply, range from $600 to $900, about 65% to 80% lower than market rents in the same towns.

HDB offers a range of flat types across PPHS application exercises, depending on the vacancies available at the time. Applicants can check the flat types offered and the rental rates on HDB’s website before applying, and apply for flats that they can afford.

Families also have the option of co-sharing a PPHS flat with another eligible family, if they want to lower their rental expenses. Lower-income households who are waiting for their new flat to be completed and have no other temporary housing options can approach HDB for assistance. HDB may offer them Interim Rental Housing, which has lower rents, on a case-by-case basis.