National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said HDB studio apartments do not fit the housing needs of younger singles.
He said these apartments are sold with a short 30-year lease which is appropriate for retirees but not necessarily for younger people.
Mr Khaw said this in response to a question from MP Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar.
She had asked if his ministry will consider allowing singles who are 55 years old or younger to buy HDB studio apartments.
Dr Intan said: “There are residents who have come and approached me. They are singles, without family members or not very well-to-do. They can’t afford the high COV of resale flats or buy a flat from the private market. There isn’t much option for them.”
Mr Khaw replied: “There’s a wide range of potential house buyers so housing is a very complex problem. I will approach these problems systematically, I have to set priorities. In due course, I will be able to address all the various segments. But I decided to just zero in for the first 12 months on the first-timers and I think we’re delivering some results.”
Source : Channel NewsAsia – 18 Jan 2012