Latest news with #ParenthoodProvisionalHousingScheme
AsiaOne
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- AsiaOne
This HDB scheme allowed a young Singaporean couple to live together before their BTO key collection, Lifestyle News
Picture this: minimalistic living room walls painted a fresh coat of tan and bathed in warm lighting, contrasted against the array of rainbow-coloured toys scattered across the floors. A curious 9-month-old zigzags across the space on all fours with unbridled ease. This was the sight that greeted us when 25-year-old Amirulazhari Ahmad Reza, and his wife, 24-year-old Nadia Nuraisha, ushered us into their new Build-To-Order (BTO) flat in Yishun. It is the couple's first BTO, but not their first taste of living together as a nuclear family unit. Engaged in 2022 and married in 2023, the couple was able to secure a rental unit under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS), which they lived in for about 6 months, as they waited for their BTO flat's key collection. Renting a subsidised HDB flat under PPHS In 2024, during the last trimester of Nadia's pregnancy, the couple rented a 2-room unit in Sengkang at a subsidised rate of $400 per month with the PPHS. PPHS is a temporary housing option for young couples and families waiting to collect the keys to their new flats. The scheme is applicable to applicants with a household income of $7,000 or below, based on the assessed income in their initial application to buy a BTO flat. "As we settle down as first-time parents... [The PPHS experience] gave us a sneak peek of how actual life is going to be like," said Amirulazhari, as he elaborated on how both he and his spouse learnt how to manage household chores, especially in anticipation of a newborn baby. The couple shared that while they valued the help and support that they would have received from living with their parents, they wanted to become more self-reliant as they transitioned into a new phase of their lives as first-time parents. Now that they get to stay in their own flat, they have come to appreciate the soft skills they gained from the short stint in temporary housing. Through independent living, they have had the opportunity to manage household essentials such as paying for their own electricity bills and budgeting for necessities. To meet demand for PPHS flats, HDB has ramped up the supply of PPHS flats from 800 in 2021 to over 2,000 units and will further double it to 4,000 units by the end of 2025. Applicants may apply via the HDB website, with the PPHS application window open from the 1st to the 14th every alternate month, on even months of the year (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec). More BTO flats with shorter waiting time of less than three years Just months into becoming first-time parents, the couple marked yet another milestone in their relationship, receiving the keys to their new home. Their BTO flat was part of Grove Spring @ Yishun, a Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) project, with an estimated waiting time of around 2.5 years. Flats with shorter waiting times are achieved primarily through starting on construction works before the BTO projects are launched for sale. HDB will launch around 55,000 BTO flats from 2025 to 2027. This year, HDB will launch around 4,500 SWT flats. SWT flats, with wait times of less than three years, allow families like Amirulazhari and Nadia to move into their homes quicker. "It's a blessing to get a house; to have a proper home for my wife and kids to grow as a family," Amirulazhari remarked. A humble, growing abode The pair acknowledged that, being in their early twenties, they were relatively young homeowners, and peers their age might put off applying for fear of not having the financial means to do so. "There's a lot of help from the government that young couples may not know about," said Nadia, who remarked that it was through some research that they found out about support schemes such as the PPHS. Amirulazhari and Nadia also received an Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) of $70,000 to help finance their home, which they were hence able to finance without any cash outlay. Additionally, the couple also took pride in their frugal habits that helped shape their new home. The unit was furnished with appliances that had prices offset using climate vouchers. Most of the furniture and appliances, such as their kitchen cabinets and mattress, were also brought over from their PPHS flat in Sengkang, which facilitated a swift move-in. "We were one of the first [in the block] to move in. Our neighbour was also quite shocked," said Amirulazhari, to which Nadia attributed to the couple's knack for fixing things up with a bunch of DIY projects for their new home. Both of them are looking forward to letting the space grow alongside their family. "Having our own home is a special place for us because this is where we make memories," said Nadia. This article is brought to you in partnership with the Ministry of National Development.
Independent Singapore
17-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
HDB extends S$300 monthly rental vouchers till December 31 for families waiting for BTO
SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced on Monday (June 16) that it will be extending the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) Voucher by six months, making it effective until Dec 31. HDB explained that the extension is intended to provide support to young couples and families currently in the open market while they wait for their new flats to be completed. Families who qualify will receive S$300 each month on a reimbursement basis to help with their rental costs during the support period. The HDB added that it expects around 200 households to benefit from this extension. Among other factors, these families must have booked an uncompleted flat from HDB's sales exercises and have a household income of S$7,000 and under. The complete criteria for eligibility for the scheme can be found here, and details concerning the application process are available here . 'This extension will sustain interim support for eligible families until HDB fully ramps up the supply of PPHS flats to 4,000 units by the end of this year,' HDB added. Read also: 'No NS, no plans to settle but still gets BTO?' — Singaporean questions HDB rules for new citizens HDB also noted that the application rate for PPHS flats has substantially decreased from more than 20 in 2021 to around three at present. This is largely due to the increased supply, which has risen from 800 units four years ago to around 4,000 units by the end of this year. All qualified applicants who are married with children aged 18 and under, including expectant parents, have been invited to select a PPHS flat since June 2023. The supply of new flats has also steadily gone up, and HDB is on track to launch more than 130,000 Build-to-Order (BTO) flats from 2021 to 2027. These include units with shorter waiting times. 'Therefore, BTO application rates for first-timer families have fallen from 3.7 times in 2019 to 1.5 times in the February 2025 sales exercise. Median waiting times have also been reduced to less than four years, comparable to pre-COVID levels. All BTO projects undergoing construction are on track to be delivered on time,' HDB added. The PPHS was first launched on Jan 31, 2013, with the HDB launching 1,150 flats for application under the scheme. /TISG Read also: WP MPs concerned with access & affordability of housing for Singaporeans
Straits Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Rental voucher scheme for families waiting BTO completion to be extended until end of the year
The extension is expected to benefit around 200 households, said HDB. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Rental voucher scheme for families waiting BTO completion to be extended until end of the year SINGAPORE – A voucher scheme that defrays the rental costs of young couples and families waiting for their Build-To-Order flats to be completed will be extended for six months, until the end of this year, the Housing Board said in a statement on June 16. The extension is expected to benefit around 200 households, said HDB. HDB gives out Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) vouchers to eligible families who rent flats from the open market. These families will receive $300 per month to offset rental costs incurred from July to December 2025. Before the extension, the rental voucher scheme had only covered tenancies until June 2025. The rental voucher scheme aims to provide interim support for eligible families that rent rooms or flats on the open market, while the HDB ramps up the supply of its own PPHS flats - which are interim rental homes for such families. The agency is bumping up the supply of PPHS flats to 4,000 units by the end of 2025, from 800 units in 2021. The latest move to extend the rental voucher scheme comes after a significant drop in application rates for PPHS flats, from 20 in 2021, to around three currently, said HDB in a statement on June 16. Eligible households must apply from August 1, 2025, even if they have applied for the first batch of voucher support, and can expect to receive the voucher for each full month of tenancy. To qualify for the rental voucher scheme, families must have a monthly household income of $7,000 or lower. They must ensure that their landlord has registered their tenancy with HDB, and that their NRIC addresses have been updated. Families currently renting a PPHS flat can also choose to rent from the open market and apply for the PPHS voucher upon once they end their PPHS flat tenancy. Interested applicants can check their eligibility for the voucher on HDB's website . HDB also said it is on track to launch over 130,000 BTO flats from 2021 to 2027 and including those with shorter waiting times. It said that BTO application rates for first-timer families have dropped to 1.5 during the recent February sales exercise. This is down from 3.7 in 2019. Median waiting times have also dropped to below four years, comparable to pre-pandemic levels, said HDB. 'All BTO projects undergoing construction are on track to be delivered on time,' said HDB. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
