As we know, Singapore is a multi-racial country comprises Chinese, Malays, Indians and other races. Therefore, the agenda for social integration has become critical to the society, and the need to prevent formation of racial enclaves has become an important political objective. Our policy has played a significant role in achieving this objective. Decades ago, the colonial administration had a racial segregation policy of town planning. Along with the communist threat, controlling racial tensions was major political challenges in the 1960s. Beginning in the 1970s, the HDB allocated new flats in a manner that would give a 'good distribution of races' to different new towns. Moreover, in 1989, the HDB implemented an 'Ethnic Integration Policy' under which racial limits were set for HDB neighborhoods. When the set racial limits was reached, those wishing to sell their HDB flats in the particular neighborhood must sell it to another household of the same ethnic group, thus prevent racial enclaves. Currently, part of the policy stipulated that each block of units should be sold to families from ethnicities roughly comparable to the national average and the maximum Permanent Resident households. This stipulation ensures that there are diverse races in a block. As a result, it prevented racial segregation and permanent resident enclave, adding to the cultural harmony and making Singapore a more culturally diverse country. Hence, the housing policy in Singapore has effectively enhanced social integration and promoted racial harmony.
Secondly, Singapore's public housing policy also effectively satisfies people's basic needs, make it possible for every citizen to own a house. Prior to the establishment of any sound public housing policy, Singaporeans lived in a rather squalid condition because of the wartime damage. In 1947, the British Housing Committee Report said that Singapore had 'one of the world's worst slums, a disgrace to a civilized community'.
