Some Singaporeans say building more 1-room flats for singles could raise birth rate

SINGAPORE: With the number of births in Singapore falling to a historic low, a local Reddit user suggested that building more studio apartments would help boost the population. Many commenters agreed, calling it a good initiative.

On Sunday (July 14), the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2023 showed that the number of births last year, 33,541, had declined by 5.8 per cent from 2022, when 35,605 babies were born.

On July 17, u/gdushw836 wrote that they believe more one-room apartments should be built and that singles under 35 years old should be allowed to rent these if the government wants to raise the fertility rate.

They added that three 333 sq ft or four 250 sq ft studios could be built for every 1000 sq ft four-room flat. This would also mean lower rental rates of between S$800 and S$1,300 per month, which would be affordable for most working adults in Singapore.

They added that by the time couples occupy BTOs, they’re already in their 30s “and it takes a few years to conceive. Most give up once they hit 35.”

A studio would allow couples “to start a family earlier while waiting for a BTO and keeping it affordable. Singles can also have affordable accommodation and a place of their own, increasing the chances of finding a partner and settling down earlier,” they wrote, adding a link to a sample 180 sq foot studio.

Such small dwellings would also be “a nice cheap investment for a small passive income,” which would be “a win-win situation for everyone. Middle-class landlords, singles, couples considering marriage, fertility rate.”

“I totally agree,” wrote one commenter, adding that she’s currently renting a room in a four-bedroom unit shared with four others for S$1500 monthly.

While other commenters also agreed with the post author, they pointed out that building additional smaller units is more expensive, with one calling it “unprofitable for the government.”

“60 per cent of the cost of building is land sales tax which is probably used to fund the BTO discount to resale + grants cause left pocket to right pocket. Couples use these grants to upgrade and will not consider studios,” they added.

One commenter enumerated the extra costs involved in building more smaller units. These include plumbing costs, electrical systems, infrastructure and utilities, construction complexity, and design and engineering.

Another, however, who lived in a one-bedroom flat with his wife, wrote, “It’s not easy or comfortable to raise a kid in a one bedroom. We don’t own a lot of stuff back then, but just two adults already pack out the entire space. We didn’t even want to try for kids until we got our resale because it was just not feasible. Two bedrooms, on the other hand, might be viable, but will still be quite packed.” /TISG

Read also: Could Singapore’s declining birth rate improve by letting workers go home one hour early?