• There were between 921 and 1,050 street homeless people in Singapore.
• Homelessness occurred in most parts of Singapore. More homeless people were observed in larger and older housing estates, and estates with more rental flats.
• The most common locations where homeless people slept were public housing void decks and commercial buildings.
• Most of the homeless people were older men.
• Based on interviews with a group of homeless people found on the night of the count:
• Most were Singapore citizens; single, separated, divorced or widowed; and had low education.
• Economic, family, housing-related, and health problems were reported as the main reasons for homelessness.
• Homelessness posed hardships and was often chronic, lasting 6 years or more for 1 in 3 persons.
• Irregular work and low pay were common.
• Poor health and nutrition were prevalent; 1 in 4 interviewees had eaten just one meal that day or none at all.
• Help-seeking and encounters with law enforcement agencies were frequent.
• Street counts like this should be conducted every few years to provide timely guidance for policy and service planning.
• The count procedure was robust when applied to dense high-rise public housing estates as well as other public and commercial spaces.
• The study can provide a point of reference for other jurisdictions which would like to introduce their first street count.

The full report from this study is accessible here.

• The combined street homeless and temporary shelter populations declined by just 7%, from 1,115 before COVID-19 to 1,036 in the second year of the pandemic.
• The form of homelessness changed. The number of street homeless persons fell from 1,050 in 2019 to 616 in 2021, a drop of 41%. But occupancy in temporary shelters increased more than sixfold, from 65 to 420.
• The street homeless population in 2021 was comparable to that of 2019 in many ways:
• Rough sleepers were found in most parts of Singapore.
• Higher-count districts in 2019 continued to account for more homeless persons in 2021.
• More street homeless persons were found in larger, older and poorer neighbourhoods.
• Most of the homeless people were older Chinese men.
• There was a de-concentration of homelessness from the City to residential districts. This may reflect a retreat from areas more exposed to public view during the pandemic.
• The study identified three distinct groups among interview participants:
• Long-term homeless persons who had been rough sleeping even before the pandemic hit Singapore in February 2020.
• Newly homeless persons who had not slept in public places before the pandemic and sought housing support voluntarily when the pandemic started.
• Transnational homeless persons were Singaporeans who were living in Malaysia or Indonesia but frequently travelled to Singapore before the pandemic for work or visa renewal, and were displaced by border closures in 2020.
• Across the three groups, common factors contributed to their homelessness:
• Family conflict led to loss of housing when marriages failed or people had to move out.
• Depending on extended family and friends for housing was not a long-term solution.
• Low wages as well as insecure and irregular work accompanied homelessness. For those in receipt of public financial assistance, it was often insufficient in amount and duration.
• The public rental housing system contributed directly to homelessness. The HDB Joint Singles Scheme was particularly problematic.
• The sustainability of open market rentals was challenging. Tenants experienced many problems with landlords and could be asked to leave on short notice.
• The pandemic triggered admission to the shelter but was not the dominant cause of housing insecurity. The social context, economic circumstances and institutional barriers related to housing insecurity had been present long before.


The full report from this study is accessible here.