"The local governments in all districts and cities in the country should have detailed residential planning," Bappenas Director of Urban Development, Housing, and Settlements Tri Dewi Virgiyanti stated at a workshop held in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Virgiyanti noted that most residential plans in urban areas have not been able to provide decent and affordable housing for various community groups, including people from the low-income group.
Based on data from the National Socio-Economic Survey, some 60 percent of the Indonesian population reside in poor or uninhabitable houses, including those in urban slums.
Assistant Deputy for Housing, Land, and Infrastructure Financing of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Bastary Pandji Indra stated that the current government policy includes finding potential state-owned land to build housing for people from the low-income group.
"Access to own some land has become significant for people from the low-income group. Moreover, matters concerning the status of various lands will be further studied and resolved, including matters related to developer rights," Indra stated.
He also highlighted the significance of conducting urban renewal without displacing residents living in the middle of the city.
The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing had earlier announced its plan to expand public access to affordable and habitable houses. Hence, all housing finance assistance later on will be offered through the Public Housing Savings (Tapera).
"In the near future, all types of housing financial assistance will be conducted by a Tapera fund management body (BP Tapera)," Director General of Public Works and Housing Infrastructure Financing of the Ministry of PUPR, Eko Djoeli Heripoerwanto stated.
Heripoerwanto noted that the Tapera fund management body (BP Tapera) was formed in March 2019.
The body is currently preparing a general and strategic policy, work plan, and annual budget that will be submitted for an approval from the Tapera Committee. The Tapera Committee comprising the public works and public housing minister as the Committee chair, with its members comprising finance minister, manpower minister, Financial Services Authority (OJK) chair, and some independent parties. Related news: Indonesian govt committed to providing affordable housing
Reporter: M Razi Rahman, Yuni Arisandy S
Editor: Suharto
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