Homeless in Singapore: why some prefer to sleep rough during coronavirus circuit breaker despite more shelter beds
- Social organisations have offered about 700 beds for rough sleepers, but some individuals have it tougher than others when it comes to getting a space
- Adequate policy responses need to be in place to prevent the recently homeless from becoming chronically homeless, expert says
Take Jason (not his real name). All the 37-year-old can think of these days is his limited access to toilets, the six cents left in his bank account and whatever is left of the hand sanitiser placed in the lift at the void deck where he sleeps rough.
Wearing a mask would make his nights even more insufferable than they already are. In this hot weather, his clothes and makeshift cardboard “mattress” are usually soaked with sweat in the mornings.
Staying home is not a choice, said Jason, who started sleeping outdoors in November last year after his mother chased him out of their house with a court-issued domestic exclusion order.
TODAY spoke to four people sleeping rough during this circuit breaker, and found a variety of reasons why they are doing so. Some simply have no homes to return to because of life circumstances. Others say they prefer to be outdoors.
In Parliament earlier this month, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said 27 new organisations had answered a call to offer their premises as safe sleeping places to meet a demand for more shelter spaces during the circuit breaker.