Update 28 Jul 2024: Infamous as a red-light district, Geylang gets a partial makeover but stigma lingers
In squeaky-clean Singapore, the district of Geylang has always stuck out like a sore thumb. Its name alone can evoke imagery of illegal gambling dens, shady drug peddlers and secret society members scattered across its many lorongs (lanes), coexisting alongside the bright neon lights illuminating from brothels.
Following the Little India riots in 2013, Geylang - the island’s infamous red-light district - was even described by then Police Commissioner Ng Joo Hee in 2014 as a place with a “hint of lawlessness”; a “potential powder keg” of crime waiting to blow up. Mr Ng had told the Committee of Inquiry into the Little India riots that the police were more worried about Geylang because “all the indicators for potential trouble are there”.
He called Geylang a “hot spot” for crimes such as illegal gambling and drug dealing, and where “unsavoury characters of all persuasion are fond of congregating”. Most worryingly, there was overt hostility and antagonism towards police presence there, he said, adding that there was nowhere else in Singapore which was “policed more intensely as the 20-odd lorongs on either side of Geylang Road”.
One Last Walk Down Lorong 3 Geylang
A stillness fills the air as I turn onto Lorong 3 Geylang, which is quietly tucked away in between an industrial loading bay, a canal, and a HDB block. The only crackle of sound within earshot comes from an uncle riding his bicycle down the lane. I stop him for a moment to ask him about this place.
“A lot of artists used to come here to paint,” he says bluntly, taking a last look at the place before zooming off. Occasionally, I notice a painted strip of canvas among the debris on the floor, or hanging crooked off a dusty wall. The road makes the perfect set for a zombie apocalypse movie—doors and windows are barricaded, and debris from shoes to mattresses are scattered on the floor. I venture into the strips between the homes, at first taken back by the stench and crawling insects.
Seeing it in these conditions, I find it hard to believe it was once a thriving community, one I imagine looked vastly different in its prime. But that community came to an end on December 31 2020, when the 60-year-leases of the terrace houses of Lorong 3 Geylang expired, marking the first time Singapore has seen the government take back residential properties. Which is why I find myself here, to take one last look at the two hectare block of land before it gets permanently sealed off for redevelopment.
Lives less ordinary — How Geylang Lor 3 residents embrace the estate’s messy but quirky charms
Leaky roof extensions, shoddily patched walls and rubbish-strewn alleys are a common sight in Geylang Lorong 3, a world apart from the neater, well-manicured private estates elsewhere.
The 2ha estate is making history as Singapore’s first private residential plot to be returned to the State in three-and-a-half years, on the expiry of its 60-year lease.
In the last two decades, the 191 terrace houses, built in 1960 to rehome Chinese families displaced by a major kampung fire, have transformed from a largely working class neighbourhood to one populated mainly by foreign workers and temples. Only 33 owner-occupied units are left, 143 units are occupied by foreign workers and another 31 by places of worship, according to Singapore Land Authority (SLA).
Geylang Lorong 3: Home holds memories of hubby, 11 kids
Madam Yeo Ai was all of 23 in 1964 when the young seamstress fell in love with the boy next door.
It was a whirlwind romance - they got married in three months and moved into his house right across the street from her home.
What does the Geylang Lorong 3 leasehold expiry tell us about our 99-year HDB leases?
The 60-year leases of 191 terrace houses at Geylang Lorong 3 will run out on Dec. 31, 2020
Those living in the houses will be required to return their units to the state, the Singapore Land Authority announced in 2017.
This triggered a flurry of articles in The Straits Times (ST) over the years, serving as repeated reminders to owners and the public that these leases, which started in 1960, were finally coming to an end. It isn't just the owners of these leasehold properties who are affected, however.
As this marks the first time in Singapore that residential properties will be returned to the state, the handling of these leases' expiry will shed some light on what may happen when 99-year HDB leases come to an end in due time.
Expiring leases at Lorong 3 Geylang: Five owners have not found permanent housing; interim accommodation offered
Houses at Geylang Lorong 3. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
Five owners of units at Lorong 3 Geylang, whose leases are due to expire on Dec 31, have not found permanent housing, said the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) on Thursday (Dec 3).
These owners have been offered the option by the Housing and Development Board to rent a flat under the Interim Rental Housing scheme. SLA had announced in June 2017 that 191 terrace house units at Lorong 3 Geylang would return to the State upon expiry of their leases.
The land, which has a 60-year lease, will be redeveloped for public housing as part of the larger plan to rejuvenate Kallang, SLA said.
Most residents of Geylang Lor 3 terrace units have found new homes ahead of Dec 31 lease expiry deadline
Most of the landed property owners sitting on 60-year leasehold land located in Geylang Lorong 3 have found new homes, with the remaining few still considering their options.
The land will be returned to the State when their leases expire on Dec 31 this year for redevelopment.
There are a total of 191 terrace units located there, of which 149 are either vacant, or used as foreign workers' accommodations or for religious activities.
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LEASES AT LORONG 3 GEYLANG TO EXPIRE IN 2020 AND LAND TO BE REDEVELOPED
The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced today that the land occupied by 191 private terrace houses at Lorong 3 Geylang will return to the State when the current leases expire on 31 December 2020. The land is slated for future public housing.
Most of the current owners of the 191 terrace houses have moved out and are letting out their units to foreign workers and other occupants who use them for religious activities.
The SLA is committed to helping owners still occupying their units through the lease expiry process. Specifically, each owner will be assigned a dedicated SLA officer, who will help guide them through the lease expiry process over the next three and a half years. For owner-occupants who need alternative housing, there are various existing housing schemes that will help them transit smoothly. These owner-occupants will not be left without options.
Geylang Isn’t What It Used to Be
What it’s like to live in Geylang’s red light district for a year?
While “family-friendly” isn’t something you’d normally use to describe Geylang, it’s a real estate area that’s not to be ignored. It remains one of the best priced, centrally located areas for tenants – it’s a mere six minute-drive from the CBD and packed with retail and eateries.
On top of that, the URA is no longer zoning residential units for Geylang, giving its existing units a high scarcity value – all of which are things prospective landlords or single tenants should consider.
Oh, and it’s gradually being cleaned up, too, if you know what we mean. But what’s it like to actually live in such a “notorious” area? To get a picture, 99.co spoke to one person who has rented and lived in Geylang for a year.
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