Building Block For Community

Source : The Straits Times, Tue, Aug 07, 2007

OWNERSHIP. That's the difference between merely a collection of people living together and a community. Of course, we don't mean 'ownership' in the literal sense. Instead, a more important aspect of this involves people caring for the physical environment of their neighbourhoods and about the ties of friendship, creating organic communities. And the most important communities in Singapore are those found in Housing Board estates, where the majority of people dwell and play out the drama of their lives. This makes the HDB an important guardian of Singapore's well-being. And it has done a remarkable job. It is hard to think of housing estates anywhere of the scale here which have become so much a part of community life. But communities, by their nature, are not static. They grow and develop as society changes. For this reason, it is to be welcomed how the HDB has expanded ownership in the figurative sense to continue the evolution of communities on its estates.

After a consultation exercise with residents, the HDB plans to tweak how it runs and plans estates. Some suggestions will be tested out in pilot projects, and others adopted immediately. Perhaps two of the most significant changes are those involving households affected by the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme and newly weds hoping to buy popular flats closer to parents. For the former group, the HDB now offers more flexibility for households that want to pick new flats together, providing greater scope for maintaining ties. As for the latter, refinements to the priority scheme are soon to come. Young couples just starting out in the working world tend not to have as much time for sinking in fresh roots or for mixing with new neighbours. So giving them a greater chance to stay in the neighbourhoods they grew up in reinforces old connections and nurtures bonds across generations.


One of the strengths of the HDB is that it is not just a developer, but one that has pursued the idea that good housing is more than just about bricks and mortar. Who would have thought that void decks could play such an important social role? Indeed, anecdotal evidence suggests that flat dwellers know their neighbours and interact more greatly than residents in landed-property estates. Some of this is because of the nature of apartment life. But there are enough blighted housing complexes around the world to show that healthy communities are not a given in blocks of flats. Clearly, the HDB has done something right. And by encouraging engagement by residents, it will certainly anchor even more firmly the virtues of community.