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SINGAPORE: All 191 townhouse units at Lorong 3 Geylang have been vacated as ownership of the site returned to the state after the leases expired on Thursday (December 31).
“Returning the land on lease to the State upon expiration of the lease allows the land to be rejuvenated to meet these diverse needs of Singaporeans,” the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said on Friday.
“SLA will accumulate and clear the site in preparation for redevelopment.”
In June 2017 it was announced that the land occupied by the units will return to the state once the 60-year lease expires. It will be remodeled for public housing as part of a larger plan to rejuvenate Kallang, SLA previously said.
Of the 191 units at the site, 40 were owner-occupied, 16 were used for religious purposes, and 135 were used as accommodation for foreign workers.
Owners of the units they occupy received assistance over the past three years to prepare them for relocation, SLA said.
“An SLA officer was assigned to each household to guide them through their relocation plans and provide assistance according to their unique circumstances,” the authority said.
“SLA worked with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to ensure that no one is left without a housing option.”
READ: Overdue Leases at Lorong 3 Geylang: Five Homeowners Have Not Found a Permanent Home; temporary accommodation offered
SLA also worked with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, as well as relevant religious organizations, to assist the occupants of units used for religious purposes.
In a press conference on December 3, SLA said that 13 of these 16 units will be relocated or closed.
The occupants of the remaining units said at the time they are reviewing their options, which include co-locating with religious organizations in other areas or renting commercial or industrial premises.
The occupants of the units were also informed that they could seek help from the relevant member organizations of the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony, SLA added.
As for foreign workers, SLA said it worked with the Ministry of Manpower and employers to make relocation arrangements for them.
“The Government takes into consideration various national, social and economic needs when making land planning decisions and redevelopment plans,” SLA said on Friday.
