Before queue numbers became the bane (or blessing) of every BTO launch, getting a HDB flat was basically like taking part in a giant lucky draw. Back in the 1960s, aspiring homeowners would turn up for a ballot ceremony, and their unit was assigned on the spot. No careful planning, no frantic refreshing of the HDB portal, just pure luck.
Unlike today, where you’re busy stalking the HDB site, calculating which stack has the best feng shui, or praying to score a single-digit queue number, people back then simply showed up at the balloting ceremony back then and left it all to chance.
1960s: “Home Ownership for the People” & balloting ceremonies
Image credit: National Archives Singapore
In 1964, HDB launched the “Home Ownership for the People” scheme to promote home ownership among lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. Before the scheme, HDB flats were only available for rent.
The scheme made home ownership possible for lower- and middle-income families who couldn’t afford private property. To keep things fair, HDB also introduced the balloting ceremony, which worked like a giant raffle to decide who got which flat.
How the balloting ceremony worked
Image credit: National Archives Singapore
Back then, new homeowners had their future address was literally drawn out for them at the ceremony. There were 2 balloting bowls: one contained the registration numbers of the applicants, while the other had the unit numbers for the selected block.
Grassroots reps would then play matchmaker by pulling a number from each bowl to decide who got which flat. No “I want high floor, corner unit, north-facing” requests here. You simply lived with whatever the draw handed you.
Applicants still had the flexibility of choosing the estate they wanted on a first-come-first-served basis, but the specific unit was left to pure chance.
Image credit: National Archives Singapore
With hundreds of hopeful homeowners waiting for their numbers to be called, we can only imagine how slow and painful the process was. If your number ended up near the back of the pile, you could be stuck there for hours just watching ballot after ballot get drawn before it was finally your turn.
1990s onwards: modern balloting system
Image credit: Housing Map.sg
As Singapore’s housing demand grew, HDB had to move past the simple ballot system. By 1985, priority schemes were introduced, starting with the Multi-Tier Family Housing Scheme, which later evolved into today’s Married Child Priority Scheme.
With rising demand and these new rules, balloting was no longer as straightforward as before. The process now had to factor in priority allocations, which made things more complicated as more Singaporeans tried to secure a flat of their own.
1994 – 2001: Registration for Flats system
In 1994, the Registration for Flats system (RFS) was introduced. Unlike balloting, first-time homeowners were given priority. However, the system still brought plenty of uncertainty, as you would not know which flat or even which neighbourhood you were getting until your selection round. This made each application feel like a game of blind luck.
2001 onwards: BTO queue numbers
Image credit: @bernardyee96 on Lemon8
In 2001, HDB introduced the Build-To-Order (BTO) system, which established the queue number process we are all familiar with today.
With demand for public housing running high, a queue number still does not guarantee you a flat. Even if you manage to secure one, you might miss out on selecting a unit if the project is oversubscribed. For example, in the July 2025 BTO sales exercise, about 22,000 applications were received for the 5,547 flats launched across 8 projects. That worked out to roughly 4 applicants vying for each unit.
Oversubscription has become the norm, with demand constantly outpacing supply. It is a sharp contrast to HDB’s early years, when securing a flat on your very first try was common and there was even a surplus of units in the 1990s.
From balloting ceremonies to electronic systems
The journey of getting your flat has shifted from lively balloting ceremonies to a quiet, digital process. While the format has changed, the thrill and suspense of finding out which unit you land still remains, especially for first-time homeowners.
The evolution of HDB’s ballot system also mirrors the growth of public housing demand over the decades. What began as a straightforward lucky draw has grown into a far more complex process shaped by oversubscription and priority schemes.
Whether you are refreshing the HDB site for your queue number or sitting through a balloting ceremony in the past, one thing has never changed: luck will always play a part in the home ownership journey.
For more HDB Did You Know’s, check out our other deep dives:
- Stirling View’s butterfly HDB block
- Did you know Potong Pasir top-floor HDBs hide secret 5.5m-high ceilings
- Is Whampoa West’s Block 34 Singapore’s longest HDB corridor?
Cover image adapted from: National Archives Singapore
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