60% of 720 beds occupied yearly at transitional shelters for rough sleepers

About 60 per cent of the 720 beds available at Singapore's transitional shelters for rough sleepers were occupied yearly from 2021 to 2023.

- Syarafana Shafeeq

There are seven such transitional shelters for these homeless persons and families in need of temporary residential support, and individuals stay in the shelters for about nine months on average, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Eric Chua said in Parliament on Oct 16.

He gave these updated figures in response to Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC), who had also asked whether there are plans to help the homeless transition from a shelter to a more permanent place of residence.

To help residents in these transitions, social workers at the shelters work closely to address the needs of these individuals and families, and support them in securing stable long-term housing like rental housing or purchased flats.