The Housing and Development Board (Abbreviation: HDB; Simplified Chinese: 建屋发展局; ; ) is the statutory board of the Ministry of National Development responsible for public housing in Singapore. It is generally credited with clearing up the squatters and slums of the 1960s and resettling residents into low-cost government-built housing.

History

Shortly after independence, Singapore faced a serious problem of housing shortages. In response, the government passed the Housing and Development Act of 1960 which replaced the existing Singapore Improvement Trust with the Housing and Development Board.

Led by Lim Kim San, its first priority during formation was to build as many low-cost housing units as possible, and the Five-Year Plan was introduced. The housing that was initially built was mostly meant for rental by the low income group. The Home Ownership for the People Scheme was also introduced to help this group of people to buy instead of rent their flats. While the new scheme acted as a hedge against inflation, it provided the home owners financial security. Later, the people were allowed to use their Central Provident Fund money for downpayment. These efforts were however not successful enough then in convincing the people living in the squatter settlements to move into these flats. It was only later, after the Bukit Ho Swee Fire, that HDB's efficiency and earnestness won the people over.

54,430 housing units were built between 1960 and 1965 by the HDB. Due to land constraints, high-rise and high-density flats were chosen.

The policies of the HDB were largely in line of the manifesto set out by the Singapore government; the government was promoting social cohesion and patriotism within the country. In 1968, citizens were allowed to use their pension fund (Central Provident Fund) to purchase and own the homes they were renting to give them a stake of the country and as an incentive to work hard. In 1980, a quota was introduced to ensure that no particular racial group concentrated together to prevent sectarianism. To prevent social stratification that may lead to social conflict, the housing of different income groups are mixed together in estates and new towns.

In the 1990s, the HDB concentrated on the upgrading of existing older flats, installing new facilities such as lift that stop on every floor. Studio apartments were built specially to suit the needs of senior citizens in Singapore's aging society. However, some of these flats were quickly bought up by young working singles.

On 1 July 2003, the Building & Development Division of HDB was corporatized to form HDB Corporation Pte. Ltd. (HDBCorp in short). HDBCorp was later renamed as Surbana Corporation Pte. Ltd. HDB's headquarters were previously located at Bukit Merah, were moved to their new premises at the HDB Hub at 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh on 10 June 2002 .Their current departments are listed as :-

• HAD (Housing Administration Department)
• EAPD (Estate Administration & Property Department)
• IPD (Industrial Property Department)
• BQD (Building Quality Department)
• PLD (Property & Land Department)

The existing Bukit Merah premises, known as Surbana One, became the headquarters for Surbana Corporation Pte. Ltd.

Flat eligibility and price

About 80-90% of Singapore's population are currently living in HDB flats, with high-density housing being a solution to the problem of overcrowding. There are a number of eligibility conditions in order for a flat to be purchased. A buyer must be a Singaporean citizen, and be 21 years of age and have a "proper family nucleus". Singles and unmarried parents are not allowed to purchase new HDB flats. Other requirements concern household status, time requirements, income and other special requirements.

Ownership in public housing is limited to a 99-year lease. There are several types of public and semi-public housing available, classified on the basis of the number of rooms and size of the flat. Semi-public housing is governed under HUDC instead of HDB and have a much larger floor area. Size is usually denoted by the terms such as four-room, five-room or similar, and is based on the number of bedrooms in addition to the living room but newer five-room apartments come with only three bedrooms and a dining room. Some newer HDB developed flats in new towns include some condominium facilities.

Most of the residential housing developments in Singapore are publicly built. Thus, public housing in Singapore is not considered a sign of poverty or a lower standard of living; as compared to public housing in other developed countries where land constraint is a non-issue and property pricing is significantly cheaper. Very few people in Singapore live below the poverty line.

For example, an HDB 4-room flat depending on age, environment and surrounding amenities can have a sale value of between S$200,000 to above S$300,000 and an HUDC Executive maisonette above S$500,000. However, in contrast a privately developed condominium type housing can cost as much as S$1,000,000 and above. The largest HDB flats (in terms of floor area) ever built are two-storey Executive Masionettes built in the 1990s which can have floor area ranging from 160 - 190 m².

List of average new & resale prices of Housing Development Board flats

Period	Room Type	Internal	New	Resale	Remarks
		sq m (Avg)	S$ (Avg)	S$ (Avg)
1970s	3 room	60	$15,000	-	Construction cost-based pricing approach
	4 room	75	$20,000	-
	5 room	95	$30,000	-
1980s sharp rise@81 (a)	3 room	65	$50,000	-	Construction cost-based pricing approach
	4 room	90	$80,000	-
	5 room	115	$110,000	-
	Executive	140	$140,000	-
1990s sharp rise@93 till 97	3 room	70	$120,000	$200,000	Construction cost-based pricing and land-based pricing approach
	4 room	95	$170,000	$270,000
	5 room	125	$230,000	$350,000
	Executive	145	$280,000	$420,000
2000s (b)	3 room	65	$110,000	$150,000
	4 room	90	$180,000	$230,000
	5 room	110	$240,000	$290,000
	Executive	130	$300,000	$350,000
2007s sharp rise@2008 (c)	3 room	65	$140,000	$200,000	Construction cost-based pricing and market-based pricing approach
	4 room	90	$230,000	$300,000
	5 room	110	$290,000	$370,000
	Executive	130	$350,000	$450,000
(a) Average floor sizes was increased for new flat built from year 1981. (b) Average floor sizes was decreased for new flat built from year 2000 but with premium design finishing except 3-rm unit. (c) Pricing increased in year 2008 are also due to rising construction cost from sand and concrete supply.

Candidacy

Singapore maintains a quota system of ethnicities within the HDB program. There are strict requirements as to who can move into an HDB flat, based on whether they are Chinese, Indian, Malay, or that they belong to another race. Singapore maintains that there must be a certain ratio of ethnicities within the HDB blocks, and any move-in or move-out must adhere to this policy. The HDB declares that this is to promote homogeny amongst Singapore's diverse population, in order to prevent racialism and racial segregation and preventing homogeneous racial blocks from forming.

Other considerations for granting the application of an HDB flat include the priority given to buyers, as well as citizenship and residency requirements, based on the number of children.

New flats programmes

HDB new flats programmes
Programmes	Abbrev	Start	End	Remarks
Registration for Flat	RFS	1980s	Feb 2002	Any surplus units from BTOs, balance BEs or HDB buy-back schemes through balloting method
Walk In Selection	WIS	Mar 2002	Feb 2007
Mthly/Qtrly/Hyrly Sale of HDB flats	E-Sale	Apr 2007	-
Balloting Exercise	BE	Aug 1995	-	Only available for initial large surplus units of SERS
Build-To-Order	BTO	Apr 2001	-	Buying a new flat with a waiting period of 4 years
Design, Build and Sell Scheme	DBSS	Oct 2006	-	Buying a new condominium design flat build by private developer

Upgrading programmes

HDB Upgrading programmes
Programmes	Abbrev	Start	End	Remarks
Main Upgrading Programme	MUP	Jul 1990	-	Interior upgrading programmes for flats built up to 1986, and HIP which have not undergone MUP, with added optional improvements
Home Improvement Programme	HIP	Aug 2007	-
Interim Upgrading Programme	IUP	Aug 1993	Aug 2002	Landscape upgrading programmes stopped in flavour of IUP Plus
Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme	SERS	Aug 1995	-	Flats built up to 1980 which have not undergone any type of upgrading programmes
Lift Upgrading Programme	LUP	Sep 2001	-	Direct level access to lift for flats built up to 1990, IUP Plus with a combination improvements of IUP and LUP
Interim Upgrading Programme Plus	IUP Plus	May 2002	-
Neighbourhood Renewal Programme	NRP	Aug 2007	-	This would include MUP/HIP (interior) and IUP Plus (landscape)

See also

• Public housing in Singapore
• Public housing precincts in Singapore
• HLM (France)

References

1. HDB Quality Living - Release of Survey Findings Of Residents on HDB Blockss
2. http://www.hdb.gov.sg/isoa031p.nsf/ImageView/AR2003/$file/hdb06.pdf

External links

• HDB Website
• HDB InfoWEB - Buying A New HDB Flat (eServices)