{"id":55997,"date":"2017-05-26T07:30:12","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T00:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/same-dreams-different-struggles\/"},"modified":"2017-05-26T07:31:35","modified_gmt":"2017-05-26T00:31:35","slug":"same-dreams-different-struggles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/same-dreams-different-struggles\/","title":{"rendered":"Same dreams, different struggles"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n(L-R): Olivia Chiong and her wife Irene Chiong, with their two daughters.
\nA growing number of individuals in Singapore\u2019s LGBT community, including singles and same-sex couples, are voicing\u00a0their opinions over what they feel are unfair housing policies geared towards heterosexual couples. Several of them spoke\u00a0candidly with us about the issues they face and what changes they\u2019d like to see.
\nBy Romesh Navaratnarajah
\nSingapore has made strides to become more inclusive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, especially over the past decade. For instance, the annual Pink Dot event, whose stated goal is to support the freedom to love, has grown in stature over the years. Several bars and clubs catering to the community can also be found in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar.
\nBut Leow Yangfa, Executive Director of Oogachaga, a counselling, support and personal development organisation for LGBT individuals in Singapore, told PropertyGuru that housing discrimination still exists.
\nHe noted that LGBT couples and families are not considered a family unit under the Housing and Development Board\u2019s (HDB) policies, meaning they are unable to apply for bigger Build-To-Order (BTO) flats or enjoy relevant government subsidies.
\n\u201cSame-sex relationships between men and women are not legally recognised,\u201d he said.
\nAlthough they can buy an HDB resale flat through the Joint Singles Scheme, he feels this is less than ideal because the scheme is only available to those who have reached 35-years-old.
\nResponding to our queries, a HDB spokesperson did not address the issue of housing rights for same-sex couples, but said: \u201cSingles who are 35-years-old and above can apply directly to the HDB to buy a two-room Flexi flat in non-mature estates, or buy a resale flat of any size. First timer singles may also be eligible for housing grants.\u201d
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0
\nSame aspirations
\n\u201cI don\u2019t think we can expect the government to do anything for same-sex couples,\u201d said one attached gay man. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he revealed that he waited until age 35 to purchase a resale flat, and was not eligible to buy a larger flat directly from the HDB.
\nHe is currently looking for a new home with his partner. \u201cThe next move would either be (to jointly own) a bigger flat or condominium unit. Ultimately, we have the same aspirations and this includes having our own place just like any other couple, gay or straight.\u201d
\nGay marriages not recognised
\nAuthor Olivia Chiong and her wife Irene are same-sex parents to two young daughters. They got married in San Francisco about three years ago, and now split their time between the US and Singapore.
\nChiong, 37, shared that since same-sex marriage is legal in the US, anyone can buy a house if they qualify for a home loan. On the other hand, as same-sex marriage is not recognised in Singapore, it is not possible for couples to purchase an HDB flat, even if they get married overseas.
\n\u201cThe only option is to either buy private property or wait for one party to turn 35 and purchase an HDB flat from the open market. This means that only one person owns the flat,\u201d a situation she calls unfair. \u201cBuying an HDB flat on a single income also limits your budget.\u201d
\nThe couple each own an HDB flat which they jointly purchased with their parents. \u201cWhen we lived in Singapore, we stayed in my three-room flat while my mother-in-law lived in my wife\u2019s place,\u201d Chiong said.
\nAfter they had their first child, they thought of getting a place together. \u201cI wanted a bigger place, perhaps a condominium with a pool.
\n\u201cHowever, property prices in Singapore have been rising and it\u2019s hard to imagine spending a million dollars or more on a place that might be smaller than my HDB flat.
\n\u201cIf we move back to Singapore, a bigger place would be in the plans as I feel kids need the space,\u201d she noted.
\nGoing forward, Chiong would like to see policy changes that allow people to buy an HDB flat once they can afford it.
\nShe also questioned the need for an age restriction, and feels removing this barrier would ensure more coverage for single parents and younger singles.
\n\u201cIf the government is not going to recognise same-sex marriage, the least they can do is allow couples who can\u2019t get married to have a roof over their heads. Affordable housing should be accessible to all, not just those who fit the traditional perceptions of family role models,\u201d she said.
\n\u00a0
\nSame-sex couples do not enjoy the same housing benefits as married heterosexual couples when it comes to buying an HDB flat.
\n\u00a0
\nEquality and diversity
\nAmin (not his real name), a gay single man, agrees. \u201cEveryone should have access to housing,\u201d the 41-year old said. Speaking from his own experience, he feels that contributions towards nation-building such as National Service should be considered when applying for public housing.
\nIn addition, he hopes for a more compassionate government to realise that society is made up of different people and sexual orientations.
\nLess hassle, but more expensive
\nWhile not everyone can afford private housing, the absence of many restrictions in this segment of the market means ownership is less of a hassle, especially for couples who can pool their finances to live under one roof.
\n\u201cSame-sex couples who buy private property together should list their names as joint owners,\u201d noted M. Ravi, a non-practising lawyer who heads the Knowledge Management and Strategic Alliance Division of law firm Eugene Thuraisingam LLP.
\nThe problem arises when the property was already owned by one\u00a0partner and the other became involved later and was not party or privy to the purchase and ownership.
\nSaid Ravi: \u201cDifficulties will arise in the event of death of the owning partner or if the couple breaks up. In the absence of a Will, probate and intestacy laws will not recognise any claims from a partner in a same-sex relationship. Likewise, in the event of a breakup, the partner not named on the title deed can lay no stake even if he or she has contributed to the upkeep and maintenance of the property, since cohabitation of same-sex couples is not recognised in Singapore.\u201d
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article was first published in the print version PropertyGuru News & Views. Download PDFs of full print issues or read more stories now!<\/p>\n


\n
\nSource : proppertyguru.com.sg\/Property Market
\nRead more…Same dreams, different struggles<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(L-R): Olivia Chiong and her wife Irene Chiong, with their two daughters. A growing number...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55998,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Cover-Story-1.jpg?fit=438%2C583&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p75ss1-ezb","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":102992,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/opinion-same-sex-couples-cast-adrift-in-singapores-property-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":55997,"position":0},"title":"Opinion: Same-sex couples cast adrift in Singapore's property market","date":"January 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\r While Singapore has made some progress on LGBT issues in recent years, the country\u2019s reputation for conservatism is echoed in archaic rules governing the purchase of public housing. Photo: lazyllama\/Shutterstock While there is no contesting the success of the country\u2019s public housing programme, things aren\u2019t as inclusive as they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11722,"url":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/property-news\/lgbt-insurer-emerald-aims-to-bridge-a-sexuality-gap\/","url_meta":{"origin":55997,"position":1},"title":"LGBT insurer Emerald aims to bridge a sexuality gap","date":"April 30, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\r Are lesbian and gay people still discriminated against by financial services companies? A new insurer argues they areThere is a UK insurance company that will give you cover if you are an airline pilot, but not if you are cabin crew. 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The upcoming Pink Dot 2017 will take place on 1 July and promises to be one of the biggest ever, having already attracted various local business sponsors. This year, the law has been amended to prevent foreigners from attending the event, while they could previously.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Property News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55997"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55997\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.siamlandbank.com\/propertynews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}