Long-suffering resident asks to be rescued from noise, litter and pests at Hougang void deck
A resident at Block 22 Hougang Avenue 3 says he has been suffering for years because of incessant merrymaking at the void deck almost every day.
Stomper Daniel said the issue started as early as 2017, when he first moved in.
"It began with altars, portable tables and chairs - all of which are not town council property - being placed at the void deck for people to smoke, drink beer and throw rubbish," he recounted.
"This dirtying of the void deck has been a daily affair since the early days of 2017, but it has been getting aggressive these few years.
According to Daniel, people bring food and beer from a nearby coffee shop to the void deck, where they gather to smoke, drink and "party almost every night".
He believes that different groups of people are misusing the void deck, and not all of them are residents of the block.
The Stomper added: "They are here at around 10am on weekends, and 4pm to 9pm on weekdays. It used to go beyond 10pm.
"There are lots of rubbish and waste such as beer bottles, food and cigarette butts thrown around.
"Mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies and lizards have been running around with all this litter. It poses another danger to the residents here, destroying our lives."
In an email titled "Rescue the residents of Block 22, Hougang Ave 3," Daniel shared photos taken in June and August, showing the trash left behind. A table and chairs can also be seen, sometimes with uncleared food and beer bottles.
He added: "They use their own tables and chairs, and do not clear up. When will the furniture be removed and why is the town council letting anyone put their own things at the void deck?
"We just had our block painted and upgraded not long ago, but it's back to the original dirty void deck within a few weeks."
Feedback to the authorities has proven futile, said the Stomper.
"The town council and the National Environment Agency were notified in 2024, but the situation has remained the same," Daniel alleged.
"I hope the authorities are able to assist and wipe this out. Residents have been suffering endless smoking, littering, beer-drinking and talking aloud during late hours."
In response to a Stomp query, Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) said: "The town council respectfully seeks the cooperation of residents in being considerate of noise levels - especially during designated quiet hour - and on the importance of not littering to maintain the cleanliness of shared spaces.
"We continue to explore ways to communicate these educational messages effectively through our outreach efforts."
The town council encourages residents to contact the police for assistance if noise disturbances persist late into the night.
AHTC also said feedback about smoking in prohibited areas can be submitted directly to NEA via its website, its hotline at 1800-CALL-NEA (1800-2255-632), or the OneService App.
Asked if he has seen any improvement in recent months, Daniel told Stomp on Oct 10: "AHTC has been monitoring the activities, with cleaners deployed to clear the overnight rubbish at around 7.15am daily.
"However, I don't understand the logic of still having the portable tables and chairs placed at the void deck for smoking and beering."
View more photos in the gallery.
