HDB Fresh Start Housing Scheme: Does It Make Financial Sense For People Staying In Public Rental Flats To Buy Their Own 2-Room Flat? From renting to owning a home (again) January 19, 2021 We all love a good rags-to-riches story. In 2020, Singapore was ranked first in Southeast Asia and 20th globally for social mobility. Part of this can be attributed to our public housing policies. For lower-income families applying for HDB flats for the first time, HDB does provide generous support to allow them to own their homes. First-timer households can receive $80,000 under the Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG) if their gross monthly household incomes are less than $1,500. However, such generous support is not applicable to those who are buying from HDB for a second time.