THE shopkeepers have voted. Of the shop tenants in 23 Housing Board blocks recently offered aid to vacate their premises, the majority in 12 blocks chose to exit.
The minority in these blocks who did not vote to quit their premises will also have to move out, to another location.
The scheme was introduced in 2005 to help neighbourhood shopkeepers feeling the heat of competition from surrounding businesses or town centres.
The HDB offers eligible shopkeepers an ex-gratia payment of $60,000 each when they opt to give up their businesses completely.
Those who want to continue in business are offered premises in other blocks wherever possible and given an allowance of $10,000 to help with moving.
In 2005, half the 193 shops offered such aid were vacated.
Last year, 262 shops in 23 blocks islandwide were offered the option. Shopkeepers in each block have to vote on the offer, with a majority deciding whether all move or all stay.
Of these, 126 shops in 12 blocks in areas like Bedok Reservoir Road, Toa Payoh Lorong 1 and Beach Road, will be vacated, while 136 in 11 blocks in areas like Eunos Crescent, Yishun Street 61 and Cambridge Road will stay put.
The HDB said tenants that stay will be given help to upgrade their operations. Tenants on the way out have until July 4 to vacate their premises.
The HDB, which had about 6,300 rental shops in October, plans to convert vacated premises into void deck space or for other communal uses.
huiyee@sph.com.sg
