Bringing life to state properties
Being a landlord sounds simple: collect rent, raise it when you can, and live off the income. But when the landlord is the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), the story becomes far more complicated – and much more interesting.
In this episode of PropertyBT, by The Business Times senior correspondent Leslie Yee sits down with Carrie Wong, director of business planning and development (land operations) at SLA, to explore how the state manages 11,000 hectares of land and 2,600 buildings. Unlike private landlords, SLA isn’t just chasing the highest bidder. Its mission is to optimise Singapore’s scarce land resources for economic growth and community good.
Why listen?
Because heritage comes with a price tag
From colonial-era black-and-white houses to shophouses and old schools, SLA must balance costly preservation with pressure for redevelopment. How do they decide what to keep and what to repurpose?
Because rent isn’t everything
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Some tenders now give more weight to “placemaking” – how tenants bring life and vibrancy to a space rather than to the dollars offered. SLA has even awarded sites to bidders who didn’t put in the highest price.
Because the state is shaping your neighbourhood
Whether it’s turning a decommissioned school into a co-living hub, clustering heritage houses into gated communities, or opening lifestyle destinations like New Bahru, SLA’s decisions ripple into where Singaporeans live, work, and play.
This episode goes beyond bricks and mortar. It asks whether SLA’s approach could offer lessons to private landlords too fixated on yield. It also dives into how state land is supporting social enterprises, the arts, and even multi-generational living – all while Singapore’s population ages and land pressure mounts.
PropertyBT is a podcast of BT Correspondents. Look out for the next episode featuring senior correspondent Ben Paul. And if you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to reach out to us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Leslie Yee (lyee@sph.com.sg)
With Carrie Wong, director of business planning and development (land operations), Singapore Land Authority
Edited by: Emily Liu & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Leslie Yee, Emily Liu & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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