History

The state and city of Singapore is isolated on an island, bordering Malaysia to the south, covering only 720 square kilometers.

After having gained independence from colonial ruler Great Britain in 1963, and the subsequent separation from Malaysia in 1965, founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was forced to design and quickly implement a new development concept for the new city-state.

Without natural resources, with a shortage of drinking water, high unemployment, a housing shortage, and social tensions between the dominant Chinese and the native Malays. Its only assets are its hard-working people and its good location as an international port and trading hub.

Lee Kuan Yew focused on rapid economic development. With the development of oil refineries, expansion of the dominant port, foreign investments, and planning of a modern city and peaceful diverse society.

His state concept was revolutionary and extremely successful: English as a universal and global language. He consistently fought corruption, including by paying civil servants and ministers ten times more than usual. He installed law and order as well like a strict anti-drug policy.

Lee Kuan Yew paid particular attention to building a new harmonious society. He focused on education and social housing as the two most important catalysts. In these realms, Singapore is number one globally today.

“My prime preoccupation was to give every citizen a stake in the country and its future. I wanted a home-owning society,” he said.

Singapore grew rapidly and needed more and more living space. From 1.7 million in 1960 to 2.7 million in 1970, 5.1 million in 2010 and 5.7 million in 2020. That's a factor of 3.4.

The GDP per capita (USD) rose from 428 in 1960 to 7,000 in 1985, 47,237 in 2010 and 58,500 in 2020 – a factor of 137. In just 51 years, it reached the GDP per capita of the USA.

Housing Development Board (HDB)

The independent state started with the burden of a housing crisis. Many people were living in unhygienic slums and crowded squatter settlements.

Lee Kuan Yew founded the Housing Development Board (HDB) in 1960, “to build as many low-cost housing units as possible, so that all Singaporeans could live in decent, safe, and sanitary housing.”

To solve Singapore’s housing crisis HDB built in less than three years 21,000 flats; two years later, that number was 54,000. Within a brief span of ten years, HDB built enough flats for the Singaporeans and resolved the housing crisis.

Today this institution provides a stable public housing market. Serving all different profiles of buyers with different choices of housing options and subsidies for every budget and need. Financial planning advice for home purchase.

Public housing must earn enough money too. The sales price is a little bit below market price. Set by the government. Early stage HDB is losing money, gets only the construction costs back. It has additional income from renting commercials or factory and buildings, on top to residential money.

Three Supporting Pillars

The public housing strategy of HDB is based on three crucial pillars:

A sole agency as one-stop-center in charge of public housing enables more effective resource planning and allocation. This concept allowed HDB to secure the land, raw materials, and manpower for large-scale construction to optimise results and achieve economies of scale.

A comprehensive approach including land assembly and construction, the housing task was carried out as a seamless whole – through allocation, management, and maintenance.

Strong leadership and maximum government support in the form of political and financial commitment, complemented by legislation, helped to place public housing on the right track quickly.

Purpose & Goals

Social housing serves the core purpose of social integration, thereby promoting harmony and stability in the state. It prevents ghettoization. Surrounded by lush greenery. Livable as well.

“The true purpose of planning is to serve people and the land. We need the eye of an artist to make our projects beautiful. Romance the land and harmonize the relationship between the urban environment, nature and the site,” explains Ou Kenan, Executive Director of MORROW Architecture + Planning Office, founded by Dr Liu Thai-Ker. They have already completed over 70 projects und are now active in 25 cities with 40 projects.

Ou Kenan, Executive Director of MORROW Architecture + Planning Office, Singapore

“Ownership is very important. It is my property, my place, my country.”

“It serves the majority of the people, now 80 percent. Makes it very stable and safe. We all are in the same hierarchy, not separating rich and poor. We are the same.”

Ou Kenan, Executive Director of MORROW Architecture + Planning Office, Singapore

Inclusive Communities & Kampung Spirit

Ethnic mix of people in public houses, so called ‘inclusive communities.’ Important to avoid a separation, promoting social and racial harmony (like Chinese; Malayan, European), strengthen family ties, and care for the needs of the elderly, singles and low-income families.

Only when you add to the mix, you can get a flat there.

The goal is a Harmony Society with a strong community spirit, identity and social integration.

Like kids go to kindergarten or school together and become friends. Facilities and parks produce spontaneous interactions.

Social housing promotes the traditional ‘kampung spirit’, the village spirit or sense of community, as an important part of Singapore's cherished cultural heritage. Representing a sense of community and solidarity. Living together in harmony, offering their neighbors food, help, and support.

Citizens First

Singapore is a very diverse community. A global hub with a blend of peoples, nationalities and ideas and 40 percent foreigners (2.4 Mio).

60 percent of citizens (3.6 Mio) receive social housing support by HDB.

This allows the government to prevent fierce competition for limited housing and foreign influence as leaseholders. Many foreigners only work in the city for a few years, so 99-year contracts with options to buy make little sense and their apartments could become objects of speculation.

This contrasts with many Western concepts, where foreign welfare recipients are also housed in municipal apartments as tenants.

Range of options

HDB offers a range of housing options and subsidiaries to provide a home for every budget und and needs. Including homes closer to nature, innovative facilities, to strengthen die ‘kampung’ spirit, regeneration places, state-of-the-art infrastructure. Smart technologies and greener living.

Three options:

Resale flats, new flats or executive condominiums.

Ownership Model

Citizens purchase their apartments from the HDB. They become owners with a 99 year leasehold. The land remains the property of the government. A century later, it can be recycled for future generations.

The buyer and their children can occupy and use the flat. It even can be sold on the private resale market under certain restrictions.

During retirement they can also monetize the flat through various schemes such as the Lease Buyback Scheme. Under this scheme, they can sell part of the flat’s lease back to HDB and receive a stream of income, while continuing to live in it.

The difference to tenants:

Tenants need to pay rent throughout their stay, which may be revised from time to time based on market conditions

They have no right to sell their tenancy, and they do not benefit from the flat’s long-term value

Tenants do not have the same measure of stability, as they need to look for alternative accommodation whenever the tenancy period is up or terminated early.

HDB owners need to meet a Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years before they can sell their flats or need HDB’s approval to rent out their flat.

HDB flats are meant primarily to serve as a home for Singaporeans and are not intended as speculative investments. New HDB flats are sold at subsidised prices, making them more affordable than comparable property in the vicinity.

Flat buyers also enjoy benefits such as access to housing grants and subsidised upgrading programmes improving their living environment.

Hence, rules such as the MOP are necessary to preserve the intent of HDB flats for owner-occupation, and deter speculation, so that the flats remain affordable and accessible for Singaporeans.

The rules for renting out flats are also necessary to minimize disamenities caused by overcrowding, and to maintain a conducive living environment in our public housing estates.

Financing with subsidies is provided by HDB.

The model is flexible to give the citizens a home for life, adopt to changes and a fair exit.

When young couples start a family, they can purchase a larger second apartment. When the children grow up and move out, there is a free choice of exit options.

They can monetize the original purchase price plus the increase in value over the years and sell the homes to the HDB. This provides them with security at old age and safeguards their pension. They can purchase a home suitable to their age or bequeath the homes to their children.

Requirements for applicants

Different groups:

Singles, couples; growing families, multi-generation families, seniors.

All must be citizens of Singapore.

Singles must be at least 35 years old.

Other applicants must

• form a family nucleus of at least two Singapore citizens or including one with Permanent Residence status.
• Minimum 21 years old.
• Not own a private residence or have disposed of one with in last 30 months.
• No income ceiling for purchase.
• Only when you add to the mix in the community you can get a flat there.

The Housing Grants (CPF) depend on income:

For a S$160,000 grant not more than S$ 14,000 gross monthly household income (in Singapore Dollar named SDG or S$).

Homes for elder citizens

By 2030, 900,000 citizens will be over 65 years old.

The new homes fit the needs of senior citizens to live comfortably and gracefully.

Including integrated home care, assistant technologies, medical help and social facilities.

Senior Owners can choose to sell part of their flat’s lease to HDB. They will retain the remaining length of lease and continue to live in the flat.

Planning & Innovations

In 1960, Singapore consisted of just a few beautiful colonial buildings and mostly simple, densely packed houses for families without sanitary facilities or access to water.

Architectural elements from the British colonial rulers and the German Bauhaus were adopted and adapted adding local elements. This resulted in modern urban planning.

Focusing on human needs as well as environmental sustainability.

Livability as a goal. This requires functionality and aesthetics.

Planned in individual city districts.

With all the necessary facilities such as schools, shops, parks, sports facilities, local meeting places, transport links, and parking spaces. In other words, different cities within the larger metropolitan area.

Between 1969 and 1989, 20 new towns were built, each with around 200,000 residents and 500,000 dwelling units.

In 1970, construction began on the Central Business District (CBD).

In 1985, the first modern high-rises were built.

Now 24 local cities exist, for example:

Toa Payoh was the first HDB town constructed in 1960. It had been modernized several times, including much more green elements.

Bidadari is a new green modern community with a large park and a lake in the center.

Oasis Terraces adds much retail space and a cascading garden.

Bedok Town offers new amenities and mixed residential and commercial developments.

Toa Payoh Town is one of the modern cities with much green.

The Woodlands offer walking and cycling paths.

Long-term and visionary designs

The HDB is seeking the best innovative solutions, placing the people and a harmonious society at center stage.

HDB´s provides an impressive and innovative approach   focusing on well-designed and vibrant towns, smart and sustainable living environment, affordable and quality homes for all, active and cohesive communities.

The new focal points of planning are greenery, mobility and transport, integrated commercial facilities, smart and sustainable, integration of heritage.

The Concept Plan guides land use and transportation for the next 40 to 50 years.

The Master Plan is midterm for 10 to 15 years with updates every 5 years.

Based on it the Planning of HDB Towns.

HDB takes a Whole-of-Government Approach planning and carrying out infrastructure work, like the construction of roads and drainage.

Construction

Simple but quality construction. Less decorations, only painted- saving money.

70 percent of an HDB block’s concrete structure is built using efficient and cheaper prefabrication methods, including bathroom units.

Ownership of land is key

The government started buying the required land from the large landowners in the mid-1960s. Most of it is state-owned today. You must own a lot of land- that is the key for the concept. A 99 lease model guarantees the land will stay in the ownership of the government forever.

New Spaces

Using more land by regenerating old industrial areas for housing, high-rise and underground space and land reclamation from the sea.

City Features

Neighbourhood Centres

Each district has a center offering supermarkets, food courts, dining and retail outlets. Here the people get together and do not need to commute.

Void Decks

Large and flexible community space, called ‘Void Deck’, located at the ground level of the blocks for festivities and parties. Some used as childcare or daycare.

Best public transportation- integrated.

All services locally available.

Go Green!

One of the answers to the lack of land and the large population was the idea of a green garden city and the harmonious integration of nature wherever possible.

Parks important in very good locations.

90 percent public.

Small green everywhere, at roads or behind buildings.

Very big trees, serving as umbrellas protecting against hot tropical weather.

Parks & Community Sky Gardens

As green lungs parks, gardens and many trees are integrated into the concept. Green wherever possible. Playgrounds and fitness facilities are standard in the parks.

New constructions have a community sky garden on the multi-story carparks, the rooftop or mid-level as a popular meeting point to relax and enjoy. Often combined with vertical gardens.

Biodiversity is supported in the city.

Rivers and lakes feature floating green spaces to cultivate wetland plants and animals.

Employment of solar panels as well as modern waste-and water-management. Building designed to reduce energy consumption with eco-living.

Singapore has become the No 1 Green City in the World – see details in our Action Manual Green Cities here.

Transferable?

Yes indeed.

Hongkong and other Chinese cities copied the Singapore model.

Every city should plan a new, larger district as a New Future City, based on the Singapore model, on the outskirts of town.

Not boring, unimaginative, and cheaply made, as unfortunately the in most cases, but creative with affordable, but creative approaches that have proven themselves in Singapore. Modern and livable.

Designed as a modern state-of-the-art Green Garden City.

Including the best practice of our Green City Global Champion Milano with its impressive Green Bosco Verticale Towers. With roof-gardens, new parks, many trees, a lake. New smaller private gardens for growing vegetables and relaxing, barbecuing, and neighborhood gatherings. An attractive market square. Green living.

See our best practices for Green Cities in our Manual Green Cities here.

With 99-year leases and as condominiums for its own citizens. As a long-term ownership model.

Socially mixed for integration promoting harmony and social peace.

With its own social facilities.

Perfectly connected to all inner-city transport routes.

As a supplement to existing social housing projects.

As a learning object and vibrant competition to other approaches, such as the Viennese tenant model.

See more details in our Housing Action Manual below.