# More Support To Meet The Housing Needs Of Singaporeans

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2018-03-06T10:20:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/more-support-to-meet-the-housing-needs-of-singaporeans
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, New Launches, Transactions & Deals

## Featured rationale

The measures could bring forward first-home purchases and improve access to subsidised housing, potentially affecting young couples’ timing and demand across new and resale flats.

## AI summary

HDB announced about 3,000 shorter-waiting-time flats by 2019 and income-assessment deferment that can reduce eligible first-timer couples’ home-securing time by at least one year.

## Original article

At MND’s Committee of Supply debate today, Minister for National Development, Mr Lawrence Wong, announced measures to help young couples buy their first home earlier, and to better support families who are navigating changes in life circumstances with their housing needs.

More Help for Young Couples to Buy their First Home Earlier

3,000 Flats with Shorter Waiting Time to be Rolled out by 2019

Young couples looking to own their first homes sooner can look forward to the rollout of some 3,000 flats with shorter waiting time by 2019. Of these 3,000 flats, 1,100 will be launched for sale in the second half of 2018, spread across three projects in Sembawang, Sengkang and Yishun. Another 2,000 flats will be offered in 2019. More details will be announced when they are finalised.

Deferment of Income Assessment

To help young couples buy their first homes earlier, MND and HDB will exercise flexibility to allow the deferment of income assessment for first-timer couples who are full-time students or National Servicemen (NSF), or have recently completed their studies or National Service (NS), and who are ready to settle down and buy their first flat.

Currently, first-timer couples buying a new flat have to be continuously employed for 12 months prior to their flat application, if they wish to apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) and/or Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG). They also need to remain employed at the time of their flat application. In addition, those who intend to take up an HDB housing loan must have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter when they book a flat.

We will now allow such couples to apply for their flats first, and defer the assessment of their income for housing grants and loan till just before the key collection for their new flat. The deferment of income assessment will reduce the time required for them to secure a new flat by at least a year. They will still need to fulfil the continuous employment condition for AHG/SHG and/or the credit assessment guidelines for an HDB housing loan at the point of assessment before the key collection for their new flat.

This deferred assessment of income will apply from the May 2018 sales exercise onwards. More details will be announced closer to the date.

More Help for Families Navigating Changing Life Circumstances

Supporting Divorced Parents with Their Housing Needs

Currently, only one party of a divorced couple can buy or own a subsidised flat within three years from the date of their divorce.

To better support divorced parents and their children in the transition to their next housing arrangement, HDB will remove this three-year time-bar policy. Both parties in the divorce will be able to buy or own a subsidised flat each upon divorce, as long as they are each able to meet the eligibility conditions for flat purchase. This will apply to flat applications received on or after 6 March 2018.

Enhancing the Fresh Start Housing Scheme

The Fresh Start Housing Scheme was launched in 2016 to help second-timer rental families with young children buy a home of their own. To qualify for Fresh Start, one requirement was that the family must have stayed in a public rental flat for at least two years.

HDB will now reduce this requirement to one year, to help families who are ready for Fresh Start to qualify sooner.

Enquiries

For enquiries, the public can call HDB’s Sales/Resale Customer Service Line at 1800-866-3066 or the Branch Service Line at 1800-225-5432 between 8.00am and 5.00pm from Mondays to Fridays.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 加强支援，更好满足新加坡人的住房需求

在国家发展部今日的预算委员会辩论中，国家发展部长黄循财宣布多项措施，协助年轻夫妇更早购买首个住家，并更好地支援因生活状况变化而需应对住房需求的家庭。

协助年轻夫妇更早购买首个住家

至2019年推出约3,000个等候时间较短的组屋单位

希望更早拥有首个住家的年轻夫妇，可期待至2019年推出约3,000个等候时间较短的组屋单位。在这3,000个单位中，1,100个将于2018年下半年开售，分布在三巴旺、盛港和义顺的三个项目。另有2,000个单位将于2019年推出。更多详情将在敲定后公布。

延后收入评估

为协助年轻夫妇更早购买首个住家，国家发展部与建屋发展局（HDB）将采取灵活做法，允许首次申请者中的在读全日制学生或国民服役人员（NSF），或刚完成学业或国民服役（NS）、并准备成家并购买首个组屋的夫妇，延后进行收入评估。

目前，首次申请者购买新组屋时，若希望申请额外公积金房屋津贴（AHG）及/或特别公积金房屋津贴（SHG），须在组屋申请前连续受雇12个月。他们在提出组屋申请时也须仍在职。此外，有意申请建屋局房屋贷款者，须在认购组屋时持有有效的建屋局贷款资格（HLE）信。

我们现在将允许这类夫妇先申请组屋，并将住房津贴及贷款的收入评估延至领取新组屋钥匙前进行。延后收入评估将使他们锁定新组屋所需时间至少缩短一年。他们仍须在新组屋领匙前的评估时点，满足AHG/SHG的连续受雇条件及/或建屋局房屋贷款的信贷评估指引。

此项延后收入评估将自2018年5月销售活动起适用。更多详情将在临近日期时公布。

更好支援生活状况变化中的家庭

支援离婚父母的住房需求

目前，离婚夫妇中只有一方可在离婚之日起三年内购买或拥有受津贴组屋。

为更好支援离婚父母及其子女过渡至下一住房安排，建屋发展局将取消这项三年禁限政策。离婚双方只要各自符合组屋购买资格条件，即可在离婚后各自购买或拥有一个受津贴组屋。此规定适用于2018年3月6日或之后收到的组屋申请。

加强“重新开始住房计划”

“重新开始住房计划”（Fresh Start Housing Scheme）于2016年推出，协助有年幼子女的第二次申请租住家庭购买自己的住家。要符合“重新开始”资格，其中一项要求是家庭须在公共租住组屋居住至少两年。

建屋发展局现将该要求缩短至一年，以协助已准备好申请“重新开始”的家庭更早符合资格。

查询

如有查询，公众可于星期一至五上午8时至下午5时，致电建屋发展局销售/转售客户服务热线1800-866-3066，或分行服务热线1800-225-5432。