{"id":44840,"date":"2021-11-01T12:54:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-01T04:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/?p=44840"},"modified":"2022-08-15T17:35:43","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T09:35:43","slug":"lgbtqia-community-dismayed-plh-policy-excludes-singaporean-singles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/lgbtqia-community-dismayed-plh-policy-excludes-singaporean-singles\/","title":{"rendered":"LGBTQIA+ community dismayed by PLH policy as it excludes Singaporean singles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Since the Ministry of National Development (MND) and Housing Development Board (HDB) announced the <\/span>Prime Location Public Housing (PLH)<\/b><\/a> policy on 27 October 2021, there has been an uproar of discontent from many (mostly single) Singaporeans in response to one particular eligibility criteria. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from a longer 10-year Minimum Occupation Period<\/a> (MOP) and clawback of subsidies when resold, the policy specifically states that single Singaporeans “are not allowed” to buy flats from the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model. It applies not only to units bought from the HDB but also to the future resale market<\/a> as well. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This essentially bars singles from any chance to live in PLH locations. Hence, this has led to public confusion with many questioning why singles are specifically excluded, and how such a policy is counter to the (government’s) plan<\/a> \u201cto make housing a<\/strong><\/span>ffordable<\/i>, <\/i>accessible<\/i><\/strong> and <\/i>inclusive<\/i> for all Singaporeans<\/strong>\u201d.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n

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The LGBTQIA+ community is largely a subset of the singles community in Singapore. There is currently no LGBTQIA+ housing policy in Singapore, and same-sex marriages are not recognised here. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, the LGBTQIA+ community can only purchase their own HDB home on the HDB singles housing scheme when they reach 35 years old (the current eligibility age for singles to buy a flat). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read this: Singapore\u2019s housing remains a challenge for the LGBTQIA+ community<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the PLH policy, all LGBTQIA+ individuals will also be barred from buying flats in the PLH region, adding yet<\/em> another obstacle for this Singapore community in their quest for a home in Singapore.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prident<\/a>, a collective of LGBTQIA+ professionals that champions the economic well-being of the queer community, reacted promptly by launching a ground up response survey<\/a> with the LGBTQIA+ community to gather their views and feedback on the PLH policy. The survey quickly received more than 130 responses (at the point of writing) and provided a platform for the community to voice their opinions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some highlights from the PLH Ground up Response 2021 survey (Source: Prident)<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n