Singapore Improvement Trust was a governmental organization that was established by the colonial government of British in Singapore in the year 1927 the straits settlement then, in response towards the people of Singapore housing needs. During that time, the citizens of Singapore were residing in squatter settlements and some overcrowded shop-houses, which resulted in poor sanitation and hygienic level as well as widespread of diseases. It was normal to get more than 200 people living in a single shop-house. The scene also led to massive crime and unrest issues.

Singapore Improvement Trust Straits Settlements

Edwin Percy Richards who was the captain deputy chairman was the one who formed Singapore Improvement Trust by doing recruitment. The trust was being made up of general contractors and some professional architects in resolving the large social problem they were facing, with their main aim of having affordable public houses built to fit the people who were in Singapore by then. It was the only way they needed to focus on to ensure that their people never had to suffer anymore by continued diseases spread and infections.

Singapore Improvement Trust Tiong Bahru

In 1927, Singapore Improvement Ordinance then officially established the Singapore Improvement Trust. The ordinance was signed to the law on 01/07/1927 whose purpose was to ensure there is a great improvement both in the island of Singapore and the town. The ordinance was both applied to the Singapore island and the town except to the areas which the British military had occupied. The latest development Avenue South Residence consist of 5 storeys of public housing built by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT).

The Singapore Improvement Trust was then given the first project as being housing estate at Tiong Bahru that till now, has been regarded as being the first public Singapore housing estate. However, in 32 years, the Singapore Improvement Trust had managed to build around 23,000 housing units, hence not being able to get the most effective solution towards housing since the population grew much faster compared to the rate at which they were building houses.

Singapore Improvement Trust Housing Development Board HDB

Queens-town was the first new town satellite of Singapore which the Singapore Improvement Trust initiated in the early 1950s which has always been developed by the housing and development board since then. The housing and development board is the National Development ministry statutory board that had the responsibility of ensuring that there was the construction of public housing in Singapore. It has been credited with general slums, and squatters are clearing since the early 1960s and resettle those residents in state building houses that costed less. Till now, an approximate of 82% of the residents of Singapore are still living in the public constructed houses by the housing and development board.