Surabaya is moving towards becoming an increasingly dense and\nvertical city. The challenge is to ensure that this change does not make\nhousing a right that can only be enjoyed by those who can afford to\npay.<\/p>\n
A house is often discussed as the simplest building in a city; merely\na roof, walls, floor, door and window.<\/p>\n
Yet for families living in deprivation, a home is far more decisive.\nA leaking roof, limited sanitation, an inadequate floor or a fragile\nstructure can trigger problems of health, safety, education and even\nfamily productivity.<\/p>\n
For this reason, expanding access to decent housing is not merely\nabout repairing buildings, but about improving quality of life from the\nmost basic place.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, East Java, this issue is beginning to be placed within a\nbroader policy framework.<\/p>\n
The Surabaya City Government is not only repairing uninhabitable\nhouses, or Rutilahu, but also preparing simple owned flats, known as\nRusunami, as a pathway towards home ownership. The central government is\nalso expanding support through the Self-Help Housing Stimulant\nAssistance programme, or BSPS.<\/p>\n
This direction is important because Surabaya\u2019s housing problem is not\nonly about the number of houses that need to be repaired. A city that\ncontinues to grow faces land constraints, property prices, changing\nfamily structures, and the need of the younger generation to remain\nliving close to their workplaces.<\/p>\n
Surabaya has long experience in dealing with uninhabitable housing.\nIn 2026, the Surabaya City Government still records thousands of houses\nrequiring attention. The repair target is pursued through a combination\nof the regional budget, non-regional budget support, central government\nassistance, the business sector, social institutions and the\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
This pattern shows that the housing problem cannot be solved with a\nsingle source of financing. The regional budget remains the foundation,\nbut the scale of need demands cross-sector cooperation.<\/p>\n
This support is visible through the Rutilahu and BSPS programmes. On\n4 August 2026, the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas raised\nSurabaya\u2019s BSPS quota to 2,000 units from the initial allocation of\n1,096 units. On the other hand, the Surabaya City Government is\nexpanding Rutilahu handling through collaboration with the private\nsector and social institutions.<\/p>\n
However, it is here that housing policy needs to be read more\ncritically. A repaired house does resolve physical problems, but it does\nnot necessarily resolve all of a family\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
A home can become healthier, but the family within it still faces\neconomic pressures. A building can be repaired, but issues of\nneighbourhood density, transport access, employment, schools, health\nservices and open space still require attention.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/organising-homes-caring-for-residents-1788223955", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }