THE NECESSITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE NEW ERA

Abstract

This dissertation provides an update of Singapore public housing profile. Through quantitative analyses using Cohort-Survival and Headship Rate methods, as well as qualitative analyses using secondary data source from various Sample Household Survey (SHS), it concludes the necessity to provide public housing, especially more of medium than large size flats in the new era. Singapore's bold experiment of providing large-scale public housing was not without mistakes, miscalculations and costs. HDB has constructed so much that over the past few years, it has been unable to sell and lease a significant quantity of its housing stock. Since there is an oversupply of larger flats and shortage of smaller flats, HDB has adopted the Build-to-Order (BTO) method in order to keep vacancy rate at reasonable level. However, HDB needs to understand demographic and social aspects of Singapore's population in near future, in order to match the type of flats demanded on top of meeting demand based on waiting list.