Under the new rental flat scheme, singles can apply for a public flat individually; an appointed operator will then match them with another tenant, based on similarities.
Singles who want to apply for a public rental flat need not worry about finding a flatmate first under a pilot programme that matches them with another tenant based on their similarities, among others, reported Channel News Asia (CNA).
The programme, known as the Joint Singles Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR) pilot, was first announced in March 2021 as an “alternative” model to the existing Joint Singles Scheme.
Under the existing scheme, singles can apply for a Housing and Development Board (HDB) rental flat with a friend, relative or someone whom they already know. They can also check HDB’s list of other single people to look for a flatmate. They can then apply for a rental unit once they have found a flatmate.
The pilot programme, on the other hand, allows singles to individually apply for a rental flat even without finding a flatmate first.
This comes as an appointed operator will pair them with a tenant and manage the flat-sharing arrangements.
And much like the current Joint Single Scheme’ criteria, tenants under the pilot programme should also be Singaporeans aged 35 and above, with “no family support and no other housing options”, said HDB.
“This arrangement (the Joint Singles Scheme) for singles to share a flat allows HDB to help as many low-income Singaporeans who need a public rental flat as possible, within our limited resources,” explained HDB as quoted by CNA.
“It also enables companionship and mutual support, which is especially important for older tenants.”
The first tenants should be able to move into their flats by the end of January next year.
HDB has appointed Good News Community Services via an open tender to run the pilot programme at two sites – Block 999A Buangkok Crescent and Block 429A Bedok North Road – for three years.
The two sites can house a total of 270 tenants. Within each block, a few storeys comprising one- and two-room flats have been set aside for the new scheme.
HDB shared that the flats have been installed with partitions to give tenants more privacy.
“General household furnishings and appliances such as wardrobes, water heater, washing machine, and refrigerator, will also be provided within each flat for tenants’ use,” it added.
Prospective tenants will be interviewed by the operator to “assess their personalities and needs”, prior to allocating flats. The tenants will then be paired up by a social worker based on “similarity and growth”.
“The principle of similarity considers how alike the tenants are in terms of gender, religion, ethnicity, spoken languages, age, lifestyle habits, employment as well as daily routines/schedules,” said HDB.
“A higher degree of similarity improves the chances of tenants living together amicably.”
On growth, the operator will consider the potential benefits that the match could provide to the tenants in terms of peer support.
“As many of these tenants have no family support, they can benefit from the companionship and support offered by their flatmate,” said HDB.
The operator will regularly check in with the tenants and conduct “befriending and bonding activities” to help build rapport among tenants. There will also be sharing sessions to help tenants get to know each other.
In case of disputes among tenants, the operator will “step in to mediate”, said HDB.
Meanwhile, rent under the pilot programme will be similar to what tenants under the current scheme are paying.
Since it is a pilot, the JSS-OR is only open to new applicants, said HDB.
In January 2022, a tender will be called for another site at Bukit Batok.
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Cheryl Chiew, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this story, email: cheryl@propertyguru.com.sg.
