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First assisted living HDB flats in Singapore to be launched in Feb

This article is more than 12 months old

Singapore's first assisted living public housing in Bukit Batok for seniors aged 65 and above who wish to live on their own and yet enjoy some care, support and communal activities will be launched for sale in a Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise next February.

Dubbed Community Care Apartments, this new flat type comes with a mandatory service package to support seniors to age in place, said the Ministry of National Development (MND), Housing Board (HDB) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a joint statement yesterday.

Services under the package include 24-hour emergency monitoring and response service, basic health checks, simple home fixes and activities at the communal spaces.

All residents will have to subscribe and pay for the basic service package, which starts from $22,000 for a 15-year lease.

Other services such as housekeeping, laundry, meal delivery and shared caregiving can be added on at extra cost.

Seniors must be 65 and above to apply for these flats. They can choose a lease ranging from 15 to 35 years, in five-year increments, as long as it covers the applicant and their spouse, if any, until they are at least 95.

Prices for these flats start from $40,000 for a 15-year lease to $65,000 for a 35-year lease, and must be fully paid upfront with cash or with Central Provident Fund (CPF).

Government subsidies such as the Silver Housing Bonus, which gives seniors up to $30,000 cash bonus when they sell their existing flat and top-up their proceeds into their CPF Retirement Account, are applicable.

However, these flats cannot be resold or rented out. Owners who no longer need the flat can return it to the HDB, which will refund them the value of the remaining lease of the flat.

The pilot batch of Community Care Apartments, located at Bukit Batok West Avenue 9, comprises about 160 units and is expected to be completed in 2024.

Each 32 sq m flat comes with senior-friendly fittings, including grab bars and wheelchair-accessible bathroom with slip-resistant flooring to allow residents to move around their homes with ease.

A community manager will be onsite to organise community activities and help link seniors to the relevant care services according to their needs.

Property