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Below is Marie’s story on her experiences with HDB when she tried applying for housing.

Marie* is a divorced mother with a five-year-old son, whose biological father is not Marie’s ex-spouse. While married, Marie and her ex-spouse applied for a Sales of Balance flat. They collected the keys in 2012 but never moved in, because they filed for separation shortly after.

During their divorce proceedings, Marie and her ex-spouse appealed to HDB to let Marie keep the flat, since she has care and control of her son. HDB rejected this appeal on the basis that Marie was not yet 35 years old at that point, and so could not qualify to retain the flat under the Singles Scheme. According to them, there was no category she fell under in order to be eligible to own the flat.

In the end, her ex-spouse appealed to retain the flat and he succeeded, as he was above 35 years old. Marie found this to be a double standard and deeply unfair as it did not make sense that just because he was above 35 years old, he could qualify to keep the flat under the Singles Scheme – despite not fulfilling other criteria under the scheme – while she and her child could not. He was earning above the income cap and the flat was bigger than a two-room flat offered under the Singles Scheme.

Marie’s lawyer advised her against fighting over the flat ownership, as it would only prolong the divorce proceedings and the chances of success were slim. She then had to proceed with the divorce without being able to retain the flat.

When Marie tried to apply for a flat under the Singles Scheme in 2016, she was rejected as she was not yet 35 years old and was earning above the income cap. To consider her appeal, HDB requested a few documents including a Statutory Declaration stating that she was not cohabiting with the biological father of her child, and a social assessment report on her family situation. Marie was frustrated that she had to go through the trouble of getting these documents when HDB already knew that she did not fulfill their criteria and had then just been through a difficult divorce.

Even when she turns 35 years old next year, Marie does not think she will qualify because of her income. HDB said that she could purchase a resale flat instead, which Marie found to be unaffordable since she is now taking care of not only her son, but also her elderly parents who were no longer working, and herself. She also did not have the cash required to purchase a resale flat.

Marie sought the help of several MPs, including a Minister. The Minister said that he would write an appeal to HDB to allow her and her son to qualify under the family nucleus. However, HDB replied to that appeal saying that she failed to qualify under the Singles Scheme. Marie believed that HDB misinterpreted the Minister’s appeal letter, as the appeal was specifically about family nucleus and not about allowing her to buy a flat under the Singles Scheme.

Marie and her son are currently living in her parents’ four-room flat, together with her parents and brother. Marie and her son are sharing a room, but she is worried about the eventual lack of space and privacy when her son grows up. Furthermore, there are tensions between Marie and her parents, who disapprove of divorce and blamed her for being in the situation she is currently in. She does not want her child to grow up in such an environment. Marie wants a healthy, stable environment for her son to grow up in, through having a place of their own.

*Pseudonym