• Do HDB’s housing policies put Singaporeans first?

    More Benefits for Singaporeans

    As HDB's mission is to provide affordable and quality housing for Singaporeans, our housing policies put Singapore Citizens first. Only households with Singapore Citizens can:

    • Buy a new subsidised flat from HDB
    • Enjoy housing schemes and grants to finance their flat purchase
    • Enjoy subsidies when their homes and neighbourhoods undergo various upgrading programmes

     

    Under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), all essential improvement works are fully paid by the Government, while for optional improvement items, the Government subsidises up to 95% of the cost. Singapore Permanent Resident households pay the full upgrading cost.

    Restrictions for SPRs

    Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) households can only buy non-subsidised resale flats from the open market, provided that the SPR buyers have had SPR status for at least 3 years. SPR households that own an HDB flat must dispose of their flats once they lose their SPR status.

    Unlike Singapore Citizens, SPR flat owners face restrictions in monetising their flat - they are not allowed to rent out their flat.

    SPRs are also not allowed to concurrently own an HDB flat and a private property in Singapore or overseas. If they wish to buy a private property in Singapore or overseas, they are only allowed to do so after satisfying the five-year Minimum Occupancy Period (MOP) for their HDB flat.  They must then sell their HDB flat within 6 months of buying the private property.

    Find out more on the housing benefits that Singapore Citizens enjoy over other types of households:

    Housing Benefits For Singaporeans