SINGAPORE: Singapore will have to adjust its public housing schemes to keep them inclusive, as well as ensure that flats remain accessible and affordable, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day message on Tuesday (Aug 8).
Older workers who have not built up enough Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings for retirement could also do with “extra help”, Mr Lee said, adding that he will speak about these issues at the National Day Rally on Aug 20.
As Singapore continues to develop more public housing, fewer undeveloped sites are left for new Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, said the Prime Minister.
Existing non-mature estates are also “steadily maturing” as transport links and amenities improve, he noted.
“So in time to come, more and more new HDB flats will be built in existing estates like here in Dawson.
“Such flats will naturally be in greater demand. Their launch prices and resale prices will reflect that,” said Mr Lee. His message was recorded at SkyOasis@Dawson – a project launched in recent years in Queenstown, one of Singapore’s oldest towns.
Amid this changing landscape, the government must still ensure that public housing is accessible and affordable for Singaporeans of all income groups, and that housing schemes are fair and inclusive for all, Mr Lee said.
“This is how we keep our national housing story going strong for current and future generations. This is my government’s commitment to you, and we will deliver on it,” he added.