housing

BTO means Build-To-Order: an HDB sales exercise where eligible buyers apply for new public housing flats in selected projects.

In a neighbourhood context, CC means Community Club: a People’s Association space for activities, services, facilities and community connections.

HDB is Singapore’s Housing & Development Board, the public agency that plans towns, builds flats and supports public housing.

In Singapore, the heartlands are residential neighbourhoods beyond the city centre, especially self-contained public-housing towns with everyday amenities.

A monsoon is a seasonal wind pattern that helps shape Singapore’s weather, including when prolonged rain or brief thunderstorms are more likely.

MOP is the required period of physically living in an HDB flat before selling it on the open market, subject to other eligibility conditions.

PM2.5 means fine airborne particles measuring 2.5 micrometres or less; Singapore reports their concentration to help people understand air quality, especially during haze.

PSI is Singapore’s air-quality index, turning measurements of six pollutants into a number that describes pollution levels.

A tenancy agreement is the rental contract between a landlord and tenant, recording the home, rental period, payments and each party’s responsibilities.

A town council manages and maintains common property in the HDB estates within its town, funded partly through Service and Conservancy Charges.

A void deck is the open, sheltered ground-floor space beneath many HDB blocks, used for passage, community activities and social functions.

An HFE letter is HDB’s assessment of your eligibility to buy a flat, receive CPF housing grants and take an HDB housing loan.

A resale flat is an existing HDB flat bought from its current owner instead of directly from HDB in a new-flat sales exercise.