Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme is introduced

The Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme was launched by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) on 3 May 1982.^[1]

Unlike earlier schemes that encouraged married children and parents to live near each other, the Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme offered priority in housing allocation to multigeneration families intending to share the same dwelling unit.^[2] The new policy was initiated following a call by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew – in his 1982 Chinese New Year message – to preserve the extended family structure as a source of social support whereby it was the filial responsibility of grown-up children to look after their ageing parents.^[3]

The basic configuration of a multitier family should comprise a married couple living with their parent(s), grandparent(s) or great-grandparent(s). Under the scheme, multitier families were accorded a three-year head start in the waitlist to purchase or rent a flat. Thus, an eligible family who registered on 3 May 1982 would be accorded priority as if they had registered on 3 May 1979. Other incentives include a longer loan repayment term, lower initial down payments for those with insufficient Central Provident Fund savings as well as a changeover to bigger flats without losing priority in the waitlist.  However, successful applicants had to maintain their multitier family structure as long as they were occupying the allocated flats. Those who breached the conditions faced having their flat compulsorily acquired by the authorities and a 30-month debarment from applying for another HDB flat.^[4]

The scheme got off to a promising start with over 1,000 people turning up on the first day of registration.^[5] However, initial public response soon fell short of expectations, as some people were daunted by the requirements and penalties, the inadequacy of existing housing design to accommodate large families as well as the potential frictions between family members from such living arrangements.^[6] The HDB then adapted the policy to enable more families to benefit – for example, in 1983, it relaxed guidelines to allow parents or grandparents making up an existing multitier family structure to be included in another married child’s housing application.^[7]

The Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme has since been streamlined into what is presently known as the Married Child Priority Scheme, which was implemented on 10 January 2002.^[8]

References
1. Alfred, H. (1982, May 4). Response to scheme for multi-tier families good. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Schemes that were already in existence were the Joint Balloting Scheme (1978), Reside Near Parents/Married Children Scheme (1979) and Mutual Exchange of Flats Scheme (1981). See Wong, A. K., & Yeh, S. H. K. (Eds.). (1985). Housing a nation: 25 years of public housing in Singapore (p. 255). Singapore: Housing and Development Board. Call no.: RSING 363.5095957 HOU.
3. Ministry of Culture. (1982, January 23). Transcript of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s Chinese New Year message 1982. Retrieved December 24, 2014, from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline
4. Housing and Development Board. (1982, April 29). Press statement on HDB priority allocation scheme for multi-tier families [Press release]. Retrieved December 24, 2014, from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline
5. The Straits Times, 4 May 1982, p. 1.
6. Wong & Yeh, 1985, pp. 255–256.
7. HDB relaxes multi-tier family guideline. (1983, April 30). The Business Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Housing & Development Board. (2002). HDB annual report 2001/2002 (p. 10). Singapore: The Board. Call no.: RCLOS 711.4095957 SIN-[AR].