Evaluate a Socially Sustainable Housing Management Strategy - Singapore
Singapore's approach to public housing has evolved significantly since the colonial period when living conditions were dire. Initially managed by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the responsibility was later taken over by the Housing and Development Board (
Evaluate a Socially Sustainable Housing Management Strategy: Singapore
Evaluation
Overall, the housing management strategy
used in Singapore is very effective, with
most of the population using the public housing.
Limitations
The people do not get to
own their own homes
Strain on government
Advantages
Creates nationalism
The population is generally content
Good Quality
Affordable
Future Changes
Restructure HDB pricing and resale scheme
Create more buffer in supply to make sure
there are always enough unsold flats
Contemporary Challenges
Making sure the different ethnicities and
income classes are living harmoniously
Meet the wishes of the public and provide
more choices/variety for buyers
Keeping the cost low for everyone
Matching house demand
History of Public Housing
Home Ownership Scheme
introduced in 1964
5. Promoting strong family ties and social intergration
4. Improving quality and variety
3. Financial security and retirement adequacy
2. Affordability for all
1. Create stability in the nation
In 1920s, bad living conditions made the British colonial government create the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT)
Replaced by Housing and Development Board (HDB) in 1960 to provide affordable housing for everyone
Over the next 23 years, 23,000 residential
units were constructed by the SIT
The SIT became Singapore’s town planning authority
In colonial period, housing was concentrated
in ethnic-based districts (enclaves)
Other housing consisted of kampungs, traditional
village communities, with farmland (majority of people
resided in), and large estates of rich Europeans and locals
Took the form of shophouses were many people lived
in confined, dangerous and unsanitary spaces
General Information
Cited as a remarkable success
In 2010, HDB won the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour for “providing one of Asia's and the world's greenest, cleanest and most socially conscious housing programmes”.
Good quality housing that
is affordable for many
About 82% of the people live in flats built by
the Housing and Development Board (HDB)
