Corrections regarding falsehood on building flats for multi-generational living

The Ministry of National Development (MND) would like to point out that the video posted by Dr Chee Soon Juan on 17 February 2024 contains a false statement of fact regarding the Government’s commitment to build HDB flats to meet multi-generational living needs.

False Statement of Fact

Dr Chee Soon Juan claimed that the Government has rejected the idea of building flats that can accommodate multi-generational living. This claim is false.

HDB builds and offers 5-room and 3Gen flats to cater to the housing needs of larger families and multi-generation families who wish to live together. In particular, 3Gen flats, which are generally larger (at about 115 sqm) with 1 extra bedroom compared to the typical 5-room BTO flat, have been introduced since 2013 to allow multi-generation families to live together. 5-room flats were offered in all Build-To-Order (“BTO”) launches last year, and 3Gen flats were offered in two of the four launches.

Dr Chee referred to a reply by HDB to a forum letter from a member of the public, in support of his claim. Contrary to Dr Chee’s claim, the Government did not reject the suggestion from the forum letter writer to have bigger flats available for multi-generational living. (See HDB’s reply to the Straits Times Forum letter dated 2 Jan 2023.) In planning the supply of new BTO flats, HDB adopts a comprehensive approach, considering factors such as the prevailing economic and housing market conditions, and long-term demographic and socio-economic trends. HDB offers a wide range of different flat types in various locations to meet demand, including from larger families and multi-generational families, and to calibrate the BTO supply and flat types to cater to the housing needs and budgets of households in Singapore.

Dr Chee quoted from HDB’s forum reply dated 2 January 2023 without including the following information from the HDB’s reply about the larger flat types offered by the HDB to accommodate multi-generational living:

“We offer a wide range of flats, from two-room flexi flats to three-generation flats, in various locations to cater to the different housing needs and budgets of first-timer families, second-timer families, the elderly and singles… Nevertheless, HDB continues to build five-room and three-generation flats to meet the needs of larger families and multi-generation families who wish to live together, a point which Mr Ong raised.”

Additional Clarifications

Types of HDB flats offered

HDB offers a wide range of flats, from 2-room flexi flats to 3Gen flats, in various locations to cater to the different housing needs and budgets of first-timer families, second-timer families, the elderly and singles. Among the flat types, 4-room flats remain the mainstay of HDB’s BTO supply, as they are an affordable option for families and popular with first-timers. Like 5-room flats, 4-room flats come with three bedrooms.

Over the years, HDB has also improved flat designs to better optimise the use of space and cater to flat buyers’ evolving lifestyle needs. For example, columns in some new flats are pushed to the edges where possible, to give flat owners more flexibility to reconfigure their flat layout.

As more young couples, singles and their parents choose to have their own flats instead of living together, the average household size of resident households living in HDB flats has decreased from 3.75 persons in 1997 to 3.04 persons in 2023. Nevertheless, HDB flat sizes have remained unchanged since 1997, and HDB will continue to build 5-room and 3Gen flats. In addition to BTOs, home buyers who wish to purchase such larger flats can also consider the resale market.

Forward Singapore Report

Dr Chee Soon Juan’s video referenced the Forward Singapore (FSG) Report, and concluded from the report that “the Singapore Dream is now out of reach for many Singaporeans”.

The FSG exercise aimed to provide a roadmap towards a more vibrant and inclusive Singapore with opportunities for all Singaporeans to pursue their aspirations, and learn and progress across diverse pathways. The FSG Report emphasises the need to refresh the Singapore Dream, as the FSG engagements with young Singaporeans found that the Singapore Dream has expanded beyond material success. The relevant extract of the FSG Report is as follows:

Page 13: “From our engagements, it was clear that the idea of the Singapore Dream is not limited to material success. In particular, there have been discernible shifts in our youths’ mindset. When young people talk about careers and jobs, they often express a desire for meaning and purpose in what they do, not just for good salaries. In other words, we want to embrace wider definitions of success. We seek a more inclusive Singapore Dream – one where we value every individual, support them in their diverse aspirations and pathways, and celebrate their achievements and successes together.”

We advise members of the public not to speculate and/or spread unverified rumours. Please visit go.gov.sg/homeownership for latest information on home ownership and public housing affordability.