A STUDY ON THE HDB ANNUAL REPORTS

Abstract

The issue of housing has always been of great political and economic significance in Singapore. As such, public housing is one of the most significant development programmes.

Prior to 1960, Singapore suffered a severe housing shortage due to the rapid population growth. This led to deteriorating housing conditions which caused social illness and health hazard. The dismal failure of the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) resulted in the establishment of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in 1960 by the People's Action Party (PAP) which came into power in 1959.

HDB has been assigned the task of providing adequate housing and a healthy living environment for the population. In the last three decades, large scale public housing programmes have made a tremendous impact in changing the physical environment.

As the economy matures and moves to a higher stage of economic growth, the basic housing needs change. Consequently, housing policies have been reviewed as well as renewed in respond to economic conditions and the increasing demands of the population.

HDB's activities can be seen as integrating social and economic planning with physical design. It is important for us therefore to take a critical view of the public residential housing in Singapore.