Renting out state properties - Short term uses, long term consequences

Abstract

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) leases out vacant state buildings, such as former schools and community centres, on a short-term basis to the public. This rental scheme had been formulated and operationalised to serve very practical, pragmatic purposes such as optimising state assets and providing additional built capacity that can be deployed quickly and flexibly to meet a variety of short-term demands for space. However, despite the scheme’s practical underpinnings, when the leases of certain developments approach expiry and when the state steps in to reclaim the state buildings, responses from tenants and the public have proved to be emotive and negative. This case provides an overview of SLA’s state properties rental scheme, and investigates how and why the implementation of the scheme has bumped up against contestations in recent years. The case also explores whether authorities should reconsider how the state properties rental scheme negotiates trade-offs between public demands and pragmatic land development needs, and if so, how.