Singapore is a country on the move. Those who can afford to do so are moving up the housing ladder, from public housing flat, to private condo, to landed property. Those who cannot afford to climb the housing ladder – specifically residents of subsidized rental flats – may also be on the move, but not by choice. In this episode of Home on the Dot, we explore the relocation of rental flat residents. We tour Dakota Crescent, an HDB estate recently demolished, and talk with volunteers who helped residents move. We talk about Singapore’s largely invisible poor and their unique housing challenges, and we discuss how “befrienders” try to create a sense of community amid the changes that come with relocation.
Sound effects from freesound.org. Music from audioblocks.com.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – References – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– Dr Ong EeCheng’s Profile – https://fass.nus.edu.sg/ecs/people/ong-eecheng/
– Cai Yinzhou’s Citizens Adventures – https://www.citizenadventures.com/
– Cassia Resettlement Team – https://www.facebook.com/crtsingapore/
Additional Links about Dakota Crescent and relocations:
– Buildings Must Die: A Perverse View of Architecture – https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/buildings-must-die
– They Told Us To Move: Dakota—Cassia – https://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/products/they-told-us-to-move-dakota-cassia
– Changes of Dakota 2: Bidding Farewell to Dakota Crescent Flats – https://remembersingapore.org/2020/12/02/dakota-crescent-flats-demolition/
– In 2016, Dakota Crescent residents were moved to new flats. Some paid an intangible price. – https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/dakota-crescents-elderly-got-fresh-start-new-flats-some-it-came-cost-2109351
– Building communities of care: an example from Cassia Crescent – https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/building-communities-care-example-cassia-crescent
– Our Better World’s Multimedia Page on the Cassia Resettlement Team – https://www.ourbetterworld.org/welcome-to-cassia-crescent
– A 2-storey commercial block, where the first storey was shophouses while the second storey was residential
– Tour of Dakota Crescent by Yinzhou with Johann, Shaun, David, Wei Yun and Chris (Not in picture)
– The iconic Dove Playground at Dakota Crescent
– The front view of one of Dakota Crescent’s blocks, with its unique butterfly-shaped design
– Dakota Crescent
– Several buildings of Dakota Crescent were barricaded when redevelopment was announced
– A HDB development under construction (end-2019) next to Cassia Crescent
– Cassia Crescent, where some Dakota Crescent residents have relocated to
– Interview with Jing Zhou by our producer Wei Yun
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