Forum: More 2-room HDB flexi flats to meet demand from first-timer singles

We thank Ms Tuan Ming Lee for her feedback (

No success for single applying for HDB flat after 10 tries

, April 1).

We recognise that singles, like families, aspire to own their own homes. Since the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme was introduced in 1991, we have progressively enhanced public housing access for singles.

From 2013, eligible first-timer singles could buy new two-room flexi flats in non-mature estates. Since October 2024, this has been extended to all Standard, Plus and Prime projects islandwide.

Singles can also purchase resale flats and receive up to $115,000 in housing grants.

To meet increased demand from singles, we are launching a larger supply of up to 14,000 two-room flexi flats from 2024 to 2026. This is more than a 50 per cent increase from the units launched from 2021 to 2023.

Also, from the July 2025 Build-To-Order (BTO) sales exercise, the Family Care Scheme will provide singles with priority access when they apply for new flats to live with or near their parents.

While we understand Ms Tuan’s disappointment, we note that more than half of her applications were made under the Sale of Balance Flats and open booking exercises. Given the strong demand, coupled with the limited supply of these flats compared with BTO flats, these flats typically see high application rates.

Overall, demand from singles for BTO flats remains high, but application rates vary significantly across projects.

For example, Ms Tuan applied for two-room flexi flats in the previous BTO sales exercises in Bedok and Kallang/Whampoa towns, where application rates were 19.3 and 12.5, respectively.

In the same sales exercises, there were two-room flexi flats in Jurong West in October 2024 and Queenstown in February 2025, with much lower application rates of 1.7 and 4.4, respectively.

To increase their chances of securing a flat, we advise flat applicants with pressing housing needs to apply for projects with lower application rates. Applicants can view the application rates of all BTO projects on the HDB flat portal. The application rates are updated thrice daily throughout the eight-day sales exercises, to help applicants make informed decisions.

We will continue to focus on meeting the increased demand from singles to help them in their home ownership journey before contemplating further moves.

Norlilah Abdul Latiff
Director (Sales)
Housing & Development Board