The Housing and Development Board (Abbreviation: HDB; Simplified Chinese: 建屋发展局; Malay: Lembaga Pembangunan dan Perumahan; Tamil: வீடமைப்பு வளர்ச்சிக் கழகம்) is the statutory board of the Ministry of National Development responsible for public housing in Singapore. It is generally credited with clearing up the squatters and slums of the 1960s and resettling residents into low-cost state-built housing.

Shortly after being granted self-governance, Singapore faced a serious problem of housing shortages; a prewar housing shortage had already existed, but low construction rates and massive damage from World War II further exacerbated the housing shortage. In 1947, the British Housing Committee Report noted Singapore had "one of the world’s worst slums -- ‘a disgrace to a civilised community'" and the average person per building density was 18.2 by 1947 and high-rise buildings were rare. In 1959, the problem of shortage still remained a serious problem. An HDB paper estimated that in 1966, 300,000 people lived in squatter settlements in the suburbs and 250,000 lived in squalid shophouses in the Central Area. In its election campaign in 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) recognized that housing require urgent attention and pledged that it would provide low-cost housing for the poor if it was selected; when it won the elections and formed the newly elected government, it took immediate action to solve the housing shortage. The government passed the Housing and Development Act of 1960 which replaced the existing Singapore Improvement Trust with the Housing and Development Board.

Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Stevland Hardaway Judkins), known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century. Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day.

Among Wonder's best known works are singles such as "Superstition", "Sir Duke", "I Wish" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". Well known albums also include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist. Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five.

Khaw Boon Wan (simplified Chinese: 许文远; traditional Chinese: 許文遠; pinyin: Xǔ Wényuǎn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Khóo Bûn-uán; born 8 December 1952 in Penang, Malaya) is a politician from Singapore. Since 2011, he has been Minister for National Development and the Chairman of the governing People's Action Party (PAP). He was previously the Minister for Health from August 2004 to May 2011. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2001.

Khaw began his career in the civil service. He worked in the Ministry of Health and served as the Chief Executive Officer of the National University Hospital, Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital, and the Singapore General Hospital.

From 1992 to 1995, Khaw served as the Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. From 1995 to 2001, he served as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Khaw has been a Member of Parliament since 2001. He represented the Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency from 2001 to 2006, and the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency since 2006.

Mah Bow Tan (simplified Chinese: 马宝山; traditional Chinese: 馬寶山; pinyin: Mǎ Bǎoshān, born 12 September 1948) is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC). He was a member of the Cabinet from 1991 to 2011, serving as the Minister for Communications (1991-99), Minister for the Environment (1993-95) and Minister for National Development (1999-2011).

Mah started his career at the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) from 1973 to 1983, rising to become its General Manager. He was then seconded to Singapore News and Publications Ltd (SNPL) as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Monitor newspaper. From 1985 to 1988, he served as the Group General Manager of SNPL and Group General Manager (Co-ordination) of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.

Mah first entered politics at the 1984 general election, when he stood unsuccessfully in the constituency of Potong Pasir, where he was defeated by Chiam See Tong of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party. (Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was thought to have played a role in Mah's defeat, having been seen as being unnecessarily dismissive in comparing Chiam's average GCE 'O' Level results to Mah's stellar academic achievements.)