HOUSING FOR SINGLES

Abstract

The increasing number of singles recorded may have a significant impact on the housing market. Instead of having at least two persons to a house, there will only be one if these singles decide to shift out of their parents' homes and stay on their own. The Cost Review Committee reported that the introduction of the 'Single Citizen Scheme' had inflated the prices of resale public housing flats. There may also be other impacts, such as wastage of the country's limited land resources and the lengthening of the queue for new flats if appropriate policies for singles are not formulated. This study proposes a 'singles only' development with shared facilities, so that there will not be any competition for housing between family and non-family households. More importantly, the development cut down on land needed, as singles need less interior floor space. Based on a questionnaire survey of 100 singles, it was found that 78 per cent of singles interviewed preferred to stay on their own. More than 90 per cent of singles who preferred to stay on their own like the idea of a development solely for singles with less interior floor space, and most of them prefer to share facilities. Although the survey was based on a non-probability sample, this study nonetheless, indicates the need to seriously consider a 'singles only' development to broaden housing choices and economise on space.