HDB buildings

History of HDB:

After Singapore was granted self-governance, many people do not have a place to live due to the damages caused by World War II. Many people were living in unhygienic places and were all crowded together in a small environment and there was no proper sanitation. While only 9 percent of the Singaporeans stayed in government flats. Thus there were many health and sanitation problems.  During the 1947, there were very little high rise buildings as it was expensive to construct one because Singapore was still weak in economy. The shortage of houses still remains a serious problem even until 1959.

Post war problems

Post war war-problems

During the 1920s, the British colonial set up the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT). Within 32 years, only 23,000 houses were built because the construction of building was very slow and the population was growing fast, thus another solution is needed to solve the problem of slow construction.

In 1st February 1960, the Housing Development Board (HDB) was formed to take over the Singapore Improvement Trust. The purpose of establishing the HDB was to take charge of the development of housing in Singapore. During the early years, HDB’s objective was to s build houses which as low in cost for Singaporeans who have a low-income in order to tackle with the problem of the huge amount of housing shortage.

After post war problems

Within three years, HDB build more than 21,000 flats. Until the 1965, 54,000 flats were built. Today, more 85 percent of the Singaporeans lived in HDB flats. 5 types of HDB flats for people of different income were established, starting from a 1 room flat (studio flat) to a five room flat (Three bedrooms, a living room and a dining room or study room. From the mid-80s the 4 room flats is the most popular among the people. Thus many 4 room flats were built. The flats are taller and were equipped with elevators which made it more convenient for the people who are living in that HDB flat.

The modern HDB flats nowadays

There are three important fundamentals are the strategy approach towards the public housing for the HDBs.

Firstly, in charging of public housing had enabled more effective resource planning and allocation by the concept of sole agency. HDB was able to secure land, raw materials and manpower for large-scale construction to optimize results and achieve economies of scale.

Secondly, the total approach to housing was also adopted starting from planning, design then to land assembly then finally construction. The housing task was being organised as a whole through allocation, management and maintenance.

Lastly, which is the most important in all the three fundamentals is that government support is very important. In terms of political and financial commitment, and legislation has helped put the early public housing programme on the right track to housing the nation.

Housing Development Board (HDB)