On this tiny island we call home, all land ultimately belongs to the state.
So, what happens when the lease for a residential plot of land expires?
Well, the government will reclaim the land, and all residents within the area will have to move out without remuneration before the lease ends.
Advertisements
Believe it or not, this has never happened in Singapore.
Until last Thursday (31 Dec), of course.
191 Houses at Geylang Lorong 3 to be Demolised
In June 2017, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced that the land occupied by the 191 terrace units at Geylang Lorong 3 would be returned to the state when the leases expired.
The houses were sold back in 1960 on a 60-year lease, which ended on 31 Dec, 2020.
At the time, the homes were built for displaced Chinese families involved in a massive kampung fire.
The houses will be demolished by early 2023 to make way for public housing.
There was just one problem though: five households in the area hadn’t found a replacement home by 3 Dec, 2020; less than a month before the lease expired.
So, now that the land has reached the end of its lease, what has happened to them?
Advertisements
All Five Owners Have Found Alternative Housing
According to The Straits Times, all 191 units have been vacated and ownership of the 60-year leasehold land has returned to the state.
At the time, 40 of the units were owner-occupied.
The land authority said an SLA officer had been assigned to each household to help them with relocation ever since the announcement in 2017.
All the owners have found alternative housing, including the five owners who hadn’t yet found a replacement home in December.
Some of them have reportedly moved in with family members, while others have purchased new flats.
Advertisements
Units Previously Used For Other Purposes
135 of the units were previously used for foreign workers’ accommodation, according to ST.
SLA and the Ministry of Manpower had worked with the employers to relocate all the workers.
As for the 16 units used for religious purposes, SLA worked with the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth as well as the relevant religious organisations to help the occupants with relocation.
Next Such Lease to Expire in 2034
The next residential plot of land to reach the end of its lease is in Jalan Chempaka Kuning and Jalan Chempaka Puteh near Tanah Merah, which has private houses.
The 70-year-old lease is due to reach expiry in 2034.
Advertisements
Two other estates, one in Bukit Timah and another in Rifle Range Road, are left with less than 40 years before their leases expire.
Featured Image: Google Maps
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
Read Also:
- Four Hospitalized as Singapore Car Collides with Malaysia Bus during Failed Safety Procedures at Woodlands Checkpoint
- DPM Gan Kim Yong Launches $3 Budget Meal Vending Machine in Punggol
- 71-Year-Old Worker Injured with Eight Stitches after Food Delivery Rider’s Warning Bell Startles Him
- Trump “Loses” as US Judge Blocks Administration from Revoking Harvard Foreign Students’ Enrolment
- 43-Year-Old Actress Fiona Xie Reveals Health Scare Details Following Extensive Medical Examination
- 6 Deals for SG60 Because Everything Also SG60
