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HDB Reveals Images of Flats That Can be Co-Rented by Singles & Netizens Have a Lot of Feedback

2022-03-13 , 10:15 am

You’re likely reading this article from the comfort of your bed, or on the way out to meet with friends from home.

But not everyone is as fortunate as most of you are in securing a roof over their head; which is why schemes such as the Joint-Singles Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR) exists.

HDB Reveals Images of Flats That Can be Co-Rented by Singles

On 12 March 2022, HDB released a series of photos on their Facebook page, showing what the new rental housing units look like.

The units come equipped with general appliances and household furniture, including washing machines, refrigerators and wardrobes.

It also comes with a partition between each tenant’s space, affording them a modicum of privacy.

Image: Facebook (Housing & Development Board)

Now, if you think that the image above looks like an officer bunk from the SAF, you’re not the only one.

Netizens Have a Lot of Feedback

Most netizens had issues with how the rental flat was designed:

Other netizens questioned if a single partition will truly give tenants privacy in such a small space:

Some netizens, however, pointed out that JSS rentals are meant to be affordable:

And that for a subsidised rental, it’s pretty good:

Currently, the scheme is eligible for individuals who earn a gross monthly income not exceeding S$1,500.

One suggested having doors instead of partitions to really ensure privacy while a few also said it could be a good option for the elderly or homeless in Singapore.

The JSS-OR Scheme

According to the HDB website, the JSS-OR scheme is a pilot programme that was first launched in December 2021.

Unlike the JSS scheme, where two or more singles have to apply jointly for a public rental housing unit, singles can apply without a flatmate under the JSS-OR scheme.

The operator of the rental unit will be the one to assign flatmates to the applicant.

During the process, considerations such as the following will be taken into account:

Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Living habits

The operator will also introduce flatmates and step in to mediate in any disagreements.

Locations

The first two locations of the JSS-OR rental flats are located at Blk 429A Bedok North Road and Blk 999A Buangkok Crescent.

In total, there are 109 flats available with the capacity to house 276 people.

Good News Community Service is the operator for the two projects and the eligibility requirements for JSS-OR is the same as JSS, which can be found here.

The rent charged will also be similar to JSS.

Currently, applications for JSS-OR is closed but you can fill out this form to indicate your interest.