PUBLISHED ONJune 17, 2026 10:04 AMUPDATEDJune 18, 2026 12:21 AMBYEriko LimA man has been living and eating on a staircase landing in a Pasir Ris HDB block, with residents saying that bags of rotting food and trash have accumulated in the area.
Resident Nathaniel, who declined to give his real name, told AsiaOne earlier this month that he first noticed the situation in 2020.
According to Nathaniel, the man — believed to be in his 50s — has been spending significant time outside his unit and using the common staircase area as part of his living space.
The block is located at Pasir Ris Street 71.
Nathaniel said the man "used to keep his green plastic bags of rotting food in the HDB risers, causing a clash with my other neighbour (who stays) at the corner unit".
"I've encountered him scolding the cleaners and he demands they pay him back money for throwing his food away, and he claims the items are worth $10,000 or more, even though it's just rotten or partially eaten food," he added.
Nathaniel told AsiaOne that officers from Pasir Ris–Changi Town Council went down one day in early June to remove the items, but the man was not around.
An attempt was made again on June 5 to resolve the issue, as the accumulated green bags are believed to have violated fire safety regulations.
According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the placement or storage of objects on staircases and their immediate landings is strictly prohibited.
The man was also reportedly seen "trying to explain why he was living (at the staircase) and occupying the space outside his unit".
He apparently enjoys tending to his plants and talking to them. He also places them in plastic bags to grow. Nathaniel believes the reason he accumulates rotting food is to make his own fertiliser for the plants.
According to Nathaniel, the man lives alone in a five-room HDB flat at the block, but the unit is completely filled with rubbish. As a result, he lives at the staircase and keeps his food there.
When AsiaOne contacted Nathaniel on June 10 for further clarification, he said that volunteers had visited the man's unit to check on him, but the latter refused to come out and engage with them.
When contacted, the town council told AsiaOne on June 15 that it is aware of the matter and has been working with relevant agencies to support the resident.
@asiaone A dispute at a Pasir Ris HDB block escalated after a man allegedly living at a staircase was seen shouting at a neighbour following a trash clearance operation at the site. #sgnews #Singapore #HDB #Wellbeing ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
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