The Housing Board provides housing loans at concessionary interest rate and the Central Provident Fund housing grant to assist eligible first-time applicants to buy a resale flat from the open market.

To qualify, among other conditions, the applicants should have a household income not exceeding $8,000 per month. This is to ensure an equitable distribution of housing subsidies.

In Ms Li's case, the HDB had earlier exercised flexibility in allowing her and her fiance to apply for the CPF housing grant and the HDB concessionary loan to buy a resale flat, although their household income had slightly exceeded the income ceiling.