HDB's married child priority scheme goes from chance-based to quota-based

MARRIED children who want to live close to their parents will now have greater assurance of success when they apply, the housing board announced on Friday.

A certain proportion of the new flat supply will be reserved for them. Up to 30 per cent of the flat supply will be set aside for first-timer families, and up to 15 per cent for second-timer families.

Previously, families who wished to live with or near each other received extra ballot chances for their new flat application under the married child priority scheme (MCPS).

In this way, "the MCPS will be converted from a chance-based to a quota-based priority scheme to offer such applicants significantly higher chances of success", HDB said.

Under the tweaked scheme, two groups of applicants will get first priority: parents and married children who apply for a flat to live together in; and parents who own a flat in a mature estate, and who apply for a BTO flat in a non-mature estate to move near to their married child.

The changes begin from November's build-to-order (BTO) and sale of balance flats (SBF) exercises.

Some 4,277 BTO flats in Sembawang, Sengkang, Tampines and Yishun, plus another 3,000 flats in a concurrent SBF exercise, will be offered.

MCPS applicants make up about one quarter of flat bookings in each exercise.

The change follows feedback and suggestions received at the series of Housing Conversations held earlier this year.