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30-12-13, 13:10
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/archive/friday/premium/singapore/public-housing-policies-must-support-social-objectives-khaw-20131227
Published December 27, 2013
Public housing policies must support social objectives: Khaw
New initiatives also match Singaporeans' changing aspirations
By Mindy Tan [email protected]
NEARLY 10,000 couples will have benefited from the Parenthood Priority Scheme come January, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan on his blog yesterday, stressing that even as housing policies are guided by social objectives, they have to match the changing aspirations of Singaporeans.
"In my generation most went through this sequence: get married, rent a home, have a baby or more, buy a home. I did. But my young Sembawang activists taught me that such a sequence was outdated. What is cool is to first get a home, then get married, and start a family," said Mr Khaw in his post "housing policies must support social objectives".
It is in recognition of this that HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat construction was ramped up, and initiatives such as the Parenthood Priority Scheme and Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme were introduced.
"All three initiatives are meant to help the young meet their aspirations as soon as they are ready to do so," said Mr Khaw, even as he stressed that the housing policies have to be guided by social objectives which comprise encouraging the young to get married, and encouraging couples to have children as soon as they get married.
The policies introduced have since shown results.
Almost 10,000 couples will have benefited from the Parenthood Priority Scheme come January - of this, nearly half are either expecting or already have young children below two years of age - while nearly 800 flats have been taken up under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.
The latter offers families the option of temporarily renting an HDB flat at affordable rates while they wait for their new flats to be ready.
As vacancies are still available, eligible families can apply at any time, and can move into their rental flats soon after applying, said Mr Khaw.
The first-timer backlog has also been largely cleared, thanks to a ramp- up in BTO flat construction.
Published December 27, 2013
Public housing policies must support social objectives: Khaw
New initiatives also match Singaporeans' changing aspirations
By Mindy Tan [email protected]
NEARLY 10,000 couples will have benefited from the Parenthood Priority Scheme come January, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan on his blog yesterday, stressing that even as housing policies are guided by social objectives, they have to match the changing aspirations of Singaporeans.
"In my generation most went through this sequence: get married, rent a home, have a baby or more, buy a home. I did. But my young Sembawang activists taught me that such a sequence was outdated. What is cool is to first get a home, then get married, and start a family," said Mr Khaw in his post "housing policies must support social objectives".
It is in recognition of this that HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat construction was ramped up, and initiatives such as the Parenthood Priority Scheme and Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme were introduced.
"All three initiatives are meant to help the young meet their aspirations as soon as they are ready to do so," said Mr Khaw, even as he stressed that the housing policies have to be guided by social objectives which comprise encouraging the young to get married, and encouraging couples to have children as soon as they get married.
The policies introduced have since shown results.
Almost 10,000 couples will have benefited from the Parenthood Priority Scheme come January - of this, nearly half are either expecting or already have young children below two years of age - while nearly 800 flats have been taken up under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme.
The latter offers families the option of temporarily renting an HDB flat at affordable rates while they wait for their new flats to be ready.
As vacancies are still available, eligible families can apply at any time, and can move into their rental flats soon after applying, said Mr Khaw.
The first-timer backlog has also been largely cleared, thanks to a ramp- up in BTO flat construction.