Commercial property owners will get to vote on joining scheme to rejuvenate districts

Commercial property owners in some areas will get the chance to vote on whether to join a scheme to liven up their districts.

- Isabelle Liew

And if such a Business Improvement District (BID) is formed, it will collect fees from all eligible owners in the area to fund programmes that inject some buzz.

This will ensure that such districts remain sustainable and address concerns over "free riders", who want to enjoy the benefits but do not want to contribute their fair share, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat on Sept 12.

Under the pilot BID programme, commercial property owners and businesses take collective ownership of the precincts they operate in by pooling funds for marketing, hospitality and events. But at present, fees can be collected only from owners who agree to participate in the BID.

The plan is for commercial property owners to propose a suitable BID boundary and fee arrangement with stakeholders before taking it to a vote.

More details will be shared in due course, said Mr Chee, who was giving an update on the programme at the launch of the Singapore River Festival at UOB Plaza.