Residential Accommodation in Singapore

During the first half of the C 20 th, the main residential areas of Singapore were centred on the old colonial centre, in the ethnic quarters along the banks of the river. The population density at that time was incredibly high, and people who visited Singapore then said that the Singapore slums were the worst in the world. The British Colonial Authorities resolved to solve the problem of affordable housing, and founded the SIT Estates Corporation to do so – building whole new neighbourhoods, including Tiong Bahru.

In the 1960s the SIT Estates were redeveloped by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) – a state corporation whose task was to develop new mass housing regions. Today, nearly 80% of Singaporeans live in housing which was built by the HDB. At the corporation's headquarters one can choose a specific apartment in a specific building development, all shown in different models – and take out a contract for the apartment within the terms of different government programs that offer terms such as mortgage, or housing schemes for young families.