Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions. Housing is a deeply personal issue, because housing needs vary across households and life stages.

For example, couples thinking about settling down and starting a family will have different needs from seniors planning ahead for retirement and independent living. We want to ensure that our housing policies and options cater to the diverse needs of various groups across different life stages.

Many young couples apply for a BTO flat as their first home.

As Mr Foo Cexiang pointed out, affordability and accessibility are top concerns for these young couples.

a. This is understandable since housing is likely one of their most significant financial commitments at this stage of their life journey.

b. Securing a home may feel daunting for those who have just started working, or if you have heard stories of people who applied many times but were unable to secure a flat.

We understand these concerns, which is why we will continue to support our young couples in your homeownership journey.

First, as Minister Chee mentioned in his speech, we will maintain a strong supply of BTO flats. The majority of these flats – at least 90% of 4-room and bigger flats – are set aside for First-Timer families.

a. About two-thirds of First-Timer families who applied in 2023 and 2024 were able to book a flat.

b. Since then, application rates have fallen further. In the most recent BTO sales exercise just last month, the median application rate for First-Timer families applying for 3-room and bigger flats was 0.9 times.

c. For young couples who want to secure a flat earlier, we encourage you to consider applying for a less competitive project – your chances of success will be higher.

Second, we continue to keep flats affordable.

a. Our BTO flats are priced with significant market discounts. Even for young couples just starting out in your careers, it is likely that you will be able to make your monthly HDB housing repayments with little or no cash outlay. This was the case for 9 out of 10 first-timer families who collected keys to their BTO flats in 2025.

b. For First-Timer young couples, the Staggered Downpayment Scheme reduces the initial downpayment to as low as 5% of the flat price. Couples where one party is in or freshly out of school or national service can apply to defer their income assessment for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant and an HDB housing loan until just before key collection, and potentially have their initial downpayment further reduced to 2.5% of the flat price.

Third, for eligible families who have booked a flat and require temporary housing while awaiting flat completion, we support them through subsidised rental via the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme, or PPHS. Since 2021, we have significantly ramped up PPHS supply from about 800 units to more than 4,000 today. Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about raising the PPHS income ceiling. Today, the PPHS income ceiling is set at $7,000, to better target support at families who are less able to afford renting a flat from the open market.

Collectively, these measures demonstrate our commitment to support young couples in purchasing their first home.

As families settle in and grow, their housing needs may change. Mr Foo Cexiang and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked how we are supporting the needs of larger families.

Today, families with three or more children can benefit from the Third Child Priority Scheme, or TCPS in short.

a. The scheme is open to both First- and Second-Timer households, and eligibl families receive priority allocation for up to 5% of flats sold in the BTO and SBF exercises.

b. TCPS, Third Child Priority Scheme, has been quite popular, with application rates of around five times for 5-room and bigger flats.

I am pleased to share we will enhance the Third Child Priority Scheme.

a. First, we will double the current Third Child Priority Scheme quota from 5% of the BTO and SBF flat supply to 10% of the BTO and SBF flat supply. This will allow more eligible families to secure a flat.

b. Second, we will expand the eligibility criteria, so that families can qualify for Third Child Priority Scheme from the time when the mother is expecting her third child.

c. These changes will take effect from the June 2026 sales exercise.

Furthermore, to support larger families, we will work towards increasing the supply of bigger flats in the longer term. This is part of our strategy to sustain a robust supply of HDB flats.

We recognise that there will be applicants who face specific and unique challenges;

a. Such as single unwed parents as mentioned by Mr Cai Yinzhou and Mr Foo Cexiang, or those with widowed or divorced parents as mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim.

b. Mr David Hoe also earlier suggested greater flexibility on the Minimum Occupation Period, for families who have grown and need bigger flats with more space.

c. For such cases, we will consider their extenuating circumstances and are prepared to exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond flat affordability and accessibility, we are also doing more to support residents’ move-in and living experience.

For residents moving into new large-scale BTO estates, new amenities may take some time to become fully operational.

To improve the move-in experience, MND and HDB set up the BTO Coordination Committee, comprising partner agencies like LTA, NEA, ECDA, IMDA and PA.

a. In the past eight months, we have had intensive discussions with Grassroots Advisers and identified five key areas where agencies will better support residents moving into new large-scale BTO estates.

First, bus operations in new housing estates are usually introduced when there is a critical mass of residents, about three months after the first residents have collected their keys.

a. We have heard feedback that the first batch of residents need earlier transport connectivity to help in their moving-in.

b. To support transport connectivity, HDB and LTA will plan for at least one bus service to be operational in tandem with the first batch of key collection in new largescale BTO estates.

c. These bus services will be accessible from a bus stop within walking distance of the BTOs and connect residents to amenities and transport nodes such as bus interchanges or MRT stations.

d. In cases where a regular service cannot commence immediately, agencies will look at interim shuttle bus services.

Second, residents want some access to cooked food and groceries when they move in. Shop operators who rent from HDB commence operations about nine months after the first batch of residents collect their keys, as this is when they assess that there are enough residents to support their business viability. HDB will introduce three initiatives to support shop operators so that residents can enjoy earlier access to cooked food and groceries:

a. First, HDB has relooked construction timelines and will bring forward the completion of shops as close as possible to the first batch of key collection. HDB will also pre-build Outdoor Refreshment Areas, instead of coffee shop operators having to do so themselves. This will reap time savings of up to eight months and provide cost savings for operators.

b. Next, HDB will increase the rent-free period for HDB shops in new BTO projects from two months to a maximum of six months. Similarly, for coffee shops, their rentfree period will increase from the current three months to a maximum of six months. This will apply to shop tenders from March 2026, and shops will need to start operations early to enjoy the maximum six-month rent-free period.

c. For the first two years of operations, HDB also staggers rents, with rent set at 80% and 90% for the first and second year respectively. To enhance support for shop operators, HDB will further lower the rent paid in the first year to 70%.

d. Shop operators can start with a smaller offering of groceries and cooked food, before ramping up to the full offering when a critical mass of residents move in.

e. Finally, subject to market interest, HDB will consider deploying ready-to-eat, value meals in some HDB blocks that are further away from the coffeeshops.

Third, the timelines for childcare centres starting operations can vary. We found that some childcare centres are ready seven months after the first batch of residents collect their keys, while others can take more than a year to be ready. This can be problematic for families who have young children at the point of moving in.

a. Moving forward, we will work closely with ECDA to better support residents with young children moving into new large-scale BTO estates.

b. First, HDB will aim to site childcare centres in the first blocks to be completed. This better aligns the timeline for childcare centre readiness and the first batch of residents moving in.

c. Second, HDB and ECDA will also streamline construction and handover processes. Potential childcare centre operators will be invited to view the premises as early as possible, to facilitate planning for renovation works.

d. Taken together, childcare centres in new large-scale BTO estates will be up and running earlier. We will plan for them to commence operations within six months after the first batch of residents collect their keys.

The fourth area is with regards to sheltered linkways. Today, HDB plans new BTO estates with a network of sheltered linkways to support residents’ daily movements from within the precinct to key transport nodes nearby, such as bus stops. Where practical, linkways are also built to connect residents to amenities adjacent to the BTO estate, such as schools or neighbourhood centres.

a. Moving forward, HDB will enhance the standard for the provision of sheltered linkways in new BTOs where there are clear benefits to residents’ safety and convenience and these linkways will be built before residents move in.

b. However, not all linkways will be built prior to key collection as residents’ walking patterns and accessibility needs may evolve after they move in. Town Councils and other agencies may also add or extend linkways progressively, factoring in residents’ walking patterns and new amenities which may be introduced over time. This ensures that estates remain connected in service of residents’ needs over time.

Finally, we have also heard feedback about indiscriminate dumping of bulky waste for a small number of new BTO projects, especially during the initial move-in period.

a. HDB is working with NEA and Town Councils to step up the provision of skip tanks, which are large bins for disposing of bulky items, and receptacles such as metal cages or recycling bins to provide convenience to residents during the initial move-in period.

b. Since August 2025, HDB has been providing 50% co-funding to Town Councils that wish to deploy skip tanks at newly completed projects within the first year of the project’s completion. We will continue to do so for projects in new large-scale BTO estates.

c. In addition, HDB will strengthen enforcement against indiscriminate dumping by renovation contractors. This includes reviewing the penalty framework to implement stiffer penalties for errant contractors.

Every estate is different and there can be project-specific issues that cause some variation. However, with the basic principles established, we can strive towards achieving these standards for new large-scale BTO estates and can improve the move-in experience for residents.

We are also improving the liveability of our estates through stakeholder and resident engagement. We recognise that our HDB homes are not only a roof above our heads but also a place to grow and improve our well-being.

In December last year, we introduced the Play Values Framework. This recognises that our playgrounds are an important infrastructure and community space for our young families with children. With this in mind, we actively consulted early childhood and health professionals, playground specialists and parents.

a. The published framework emphasises three key aspects of play – physical, social, and creative – to address the developmental needs of younger children aged two to five, and older children aged five to twelve.

b. We will apply the framework as we build new playgrounds in BTO projects from 2026, and we will work with Town Councils to refresh existing ones in other developed estates.

c. More will be shared in the coming months.

Another aspect of a good living environment is convenient access to essential goods and services. Mr Louis Chua asked about how we ensure good supply and diversity of our neighbourhood shops.

Our usual approach is to have a Town Centre at the heart of every HDB town, to serve as the key commercial hub and provide a broad range of goods and services such as supermarkets, food and beverage outlets, and retail shops. The Town Centre is complemented by Neighbourhood Centres that are distributed across the town.

a. In selected precincts that are located further away from the Town Centre and Neighbourhood Centres, HDB will also build precinct shops which generally include an eating house, supermarket or minimart, and a few shops. Most residents will be able to access commercial facilities with a food court or eating house within 400m from their homes.

I thank Mr Louis Chua for his suggestion on having large-scale tenders for hot food vending machines. Most residents would prefer commercial facilities such as a food court or eating houses. When members have identified specific HDB estates that need vending machines for hot food and which is supported by market demand and supply, HDB would discuss with members to facilitate the process. Mr Azhar Othman and Mr Pritam Singh raised suggestions on rental rates and transparency. Several Members including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Ms Mariam Jaafar, and Mr Louis Chua have made similar points in this House on 24 September 2025. Mr Azhar suggested that rents be monitored and adjusted by a committee like the Public Transport Council.

I would like to highlight that shop rentals are fundamentally different from public transport fares. Shops can have a variety of attributes like location, layout, trade use, and branding which leads to different service offerings and therefore command different rental rates. Also, unlike public transport, each rental transaction is a distinct contractual agreement between willing landlords and tenants, where landlords and tenants take into account market dynamics before making their decision. Public transport, on the other hand, serves the mass public and allows for fare-setting to ensure affordability and financial sustainability.

Mr Azhar Othman and Mr Pritam Singh, like the members before them, including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Ang Wei Neng, and Ms Mariam Jaafar, want to see reasonable and sustainable HDB shop rental rates. At MND, we have the same objectives. Let me share what HDB is doing to keep HDB rental rates reasonable and competitive.

First, HDB ensures a good supply of shops in every HDB estate and town. Where there is adequate supply, tenants have a choice of where to rent, and customers have a choice of where to buy. If rents and product prices are too expensive, both tenants and customers have a choice to go elsewhere.

Second, for shops rented out by HDB, we have introduced new measures to keep rents stable.

a. To encourage prudent bids, successful bidders of all new shop tenders from January 2026 are required to maintain their tendered rent for two tenancy terms instead of one tenancy term of three years. Tenderers are thus encouraged to strike a balance between competitiveness and business sustainability when submitting their tender bids. For HDB shop tenants facing financial difficulties, HDB will work closely to provide targeted support where feasible, so that residents can continue to have access to affordable goods and services in their neighbourhood.

b. In terms of stall rents in HDB coffee shops, it is HDB’s intent to enhance transparency and support a well-functioning market by making available relevant rental data to members of the public so that potential stallholders can make prudent business decisions. HDB has announced in January 2026 that we will start collecting data on stall rents charged by rental coffee shop operators and we will look at how this data can be presented in an accessible way to the public. We are exploring the feasibility of collecting and publishing other relevant rental data for HDB coffee shops, such as the rent charged by HDB for outdoor refreshment areas.

c. For HDB sold shops which are in private hands, IRAS maintains records on lease and tenancy transactions of privately-owned HDB shops that are submitted to IRAS for the payment of stamp duty. This rental data collected by IRAS is made available by geographical location and property type on URA’s Real Estate Information System, REALIS.

d. We are committed to publishing accurate data which will help potential shop or stallholders make their decisions and we will consider a dedicated portal if that is necessary.

More broadly, we are also taking a Whole-of-Government approach to prevent, detect and penalise money laundering activities, including through strengthening our monitoring and sensemaking mechanisms. This helps to safeguard our markets, including public and private rental markets, guarding against the impact of such illicit activities.

Taken together, these measures help to ensure that our residents continue to have convenient access to an affordable and diverse selection of heartland shops and services.

Mr Chairman, I will now say a few words in Mandarin please.

为了方便让居民享用物美价廉的商品与服务、以及保持租金的合理性与稳定性，建屋发展局会确保每个组屋区和市镇有足够的店铺。针对于建屋局旗下的店铺，建屋局也有其他措施来维持店铺租金的稳定性。

自2018年，建屋局依据 “价格质量准则”（Price-Quality Method）评估、新咖啡店与新超市的投标书。建屋局不仅会考虑投标价，也会更全面地评估投标方案。

此外，建屋局也在今年一月份推出了以下措施：

a. 第一、为了鼓励理性投标，中标者必须按照中标价交纳两个租赁期的租金，而非此前的三年租赁期。

b. 第二、为了保护摊主的利益，建屋局开始收集旗下咖啡店经营者向摊主收取的租金的数据，以便为摊主提供更全面以及透明的租金信息。

以上政策确保建屋局旗下的店铺租金的合理性与稳定性, 让居民继续享用价格合理的服务与商品。

Mr Chairman, we will update our housing policies to support the diverse needs of different groups, including young couples, larger families and seniors.

In recent years, we have stepped up efforts to make our HDB towns more liveable, inclusive, and responsive to residents’ needs.

We will continue to work with Singaporeans to build flats and neighbourhoods that they are proud to call home. Thank you.