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S'pore man, 43, manages to get AMK BTO flat after rough sleeping since 16
He has a job and a place to stay now.
Nyi Nyi Thet
January 09, 2026, 05:21 PM
Amos Tan, 43, dropped out of school in Primary Three and began working.
He had a tumultuous relationship with his family, and eventually found himself spending nights outside at the age of 16.
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Tan described how chaotic life was at home with his parents. He said his parents were both gamblers, and confrontations could lead to fights, which sometimes included knives being flung around.
He would sporadically return home, but almost always ended up leaving.
Tan found ways to adapt to the streets.
He would shower at supermarkets late at night, take clothes that had been discarded, and eat leftover food from the coffeeshop.
Tan said sleeping on the streets made him feel unsafe and that his belongings were stolen as well.
"I lost so many things."
Tan would eventually catch a break when he was referred to a Family Service Centre.
First, he felt safer, then they fed him, and then he secured his first official job.
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Tan moved into a single room shared facilities rental unit.
From scavenging in food shops to having his own space. Tan isn't done with his climb up yet, according to Shin Min. He successfully applied for a two-room flexible BTO unit last October.
He has to wait a few years to move in, but that is something he is very much looking forward to.
