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Letter of the week: Have more equitable public housing for couples with kids

I recognise the Government’s efforts to make public housing more affordable, equitable and accessible by revamping its housing policies (

I recognise the Government’s efforts to make public housing more affordable, equitable and accessible by revamping its housing policies ( ; and , Aug 20). Access to housing for unmarried Singaporeans has been a struggle, given that policies have been targeted at encouraging Singaporeans to get married earlier. As I believe in promoting marriage and parenthood without punishing singlehood, I largely welcome the changes. However, more can be done to make public housing more equitable and effective so as to promote marriage and parenthood. Married couples with children have unique challenges not shared by singles and married couples without children. First, such families require more living space. This was made more obvious during the Covid-19 pandemic when schools and workplaces were closed, and all members of the family were in close quarters at home. Second, these families may also have less disposable income after providing for their children. These can translate into challenges in obtaining suitable housing if there is no help from the Government in securing larger homes at a more affordable price, especially if more are going to be competing for the limited supply. The high cost of living is already a barrier for couples wanting to have children, thus contributing to the low national fertility rate. Couples may also choose to keep their family small or have no children if housing adds to the challenge of growing the family. It is, therefore, necessary to do more to uplift marriage and parenthood even as we further enable singles to write their part in Singapore’s housing story. More equitable housing policies such as building more five-room Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, child-dependent matching subsidies for both resale and BTO flats, and priority for five-room BTO flats could be steps in the right direction.