Man finds shelter and job after being homeless for a year
The void deck of a Bukit Batok HDB block once served as a shelter for 50-year-old Ben (not his real name), who was homeless for a year.
According to Tamil Murasu, Ben now has a permanent roof over his head.
«There were nights when I trembled in the rain and cold without even a blanket,» Ben recalled.
After he was sentenced to three years in prison, Ben lost contact with his daughter and family.
«I had no home, no doorstep, and no contact with my family,» he said.
Under the Joint Singles Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR) housing initiative for individuals like him, Ben now lives in a one-room rental flat in Woodleigh Link.
Launched in 2021, JSS-OR appoints social service agencies to manage rental flats for low-income singles. The agency assigns tenants to a flatmate after considering each person's profile, preferences and living habits.
There are six sites under JSS-OR, managed by various social service agencies.
After being released from prison in 2022, Ben decided to turn over a new leaf, taking up odd jobs as a delivery worker and janitor.