Soeharto calls for more low-cost apartments<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto urged urban authorities
\nyesterday to build more low cost apartments, saying that this is
\nthe most effective way of solving acute housing shortages.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a ceremony dedicating 240,000 units of houses
\nthroughout Indonesia, Soeharto said soaring land prices combined
\nwith rapid urbanization has made it too costly for the city
\nadministrations to build houses and their infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The costs of building roads, ducts, electricity and telephone
\nlines -- which the administrations have to provide -- are far
\nhigher under horizontal expansion than vertical expansion, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
These facilities under horizontal expansion have higher
\nmaintenance and operational costs, and people spend more time and
\nmoney on transportation, making the cost of living in cities
\nhigh.<\/p>\n
Burden<\/p>\n
\"On a national scale, this is a heavy burden,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
\"Urban development must be more compact and intensive. One way
\nof doing this is by building apartments,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He proposed that low cost apartments be built in places of
\nslum areas for the benefit of those who live in the area. \"The
\nrejuvenation of slum areas must not create the impression that
\nthe poor are being evicted to make way for the rich.\"<\/p>\n
Jakarta, where housing shortage is probably the most acute in
\nIndonesia, is leading the way in building low-cost apartments.<\/p>\n
The ceremony yesterday was appropriately concentrated in
\nCengkareng, West Jakarta, where a new apartment complex with 768
\nunits has been built, designed specially for people who work in
\nnearby factories.<\/p>\n
The Rp 30 billion project was built by Perum Perumnas, the
\nstate-run housing development company. The apartments, measuring
\n21 square meters each, will be rented out, with monthly rentals
\nof between Rp 69,000 and Rp 94,000.<\/p>\n
Seven companies located nearby have already reserved at least
\n400 units which they would use to house their workers.<\/p>\n
Later, during a meeting with inhabitants of the Cengkareng
\napartments, Soeharto said living in high rise buildings represent
\na big change for people more accustomed to living in houses.<\/p>\n
\"People have got to get used to it. It may be difficult. But
\nif they refuse to move into apartments, then they won't get any
\nhouses,\" he said. \"If they prefer to live in slums, then they are
\nrefusing an opportunity to improve their prosperity.\"<\/p>\n
Soeharto in his speech said that the apartments in Cengkareng,
\nalong with all the other houses inaugurated yesterday, met the
\n\"health\" criteria, although he did not spell out the criteria.<\/p>\n
The president acknowledged that housing is one of life's basic
\nneeds, along with food, clothing, education, health and work.
\n\"But providing houses for people with low income is not easy.
\nHouses are expensive to build.\"<\/p>\n
He said one of the reasons for the high costs of housing is
\nhigh land prices, especially in urban areas.<\/p>\n
Prices<\/p>\n
He urged governors, regency chiefs and city mayors to find
\nways of keeping land prices down so that the cost of building
\nhouses could also be kept down.<\/p>\n
\"I realize that providing land at low prices is not an easy
\ntask. Demand for land continues to rise while the sum of land
\nremains the same.<\/p>\n
\"But if we let this trend continue, then only those with high
\nincome can afford to stay to live in houses. Those with low
\nincome will be forced to live in slum areas that are unhealthy
\nand unfit for habitation.<\/p>\n
\"This is not consistent with our development objectives,\"
\nSoeharto said.<\/p>\n
The President urged city administrators to pay more attention
\nto the concept of integrated urban development, which takes into
\naccount such aspects as spatial planning, population projects,
\nhousing projects and the development of infrastructure and social
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
During the meeting with Cengkareng residents, Soeharto
\nreminded housing developers of their obligation to build six low-
\ncost houses for every one luxury and three semi-luxury houses.<\/p>\n
\"Many of them have neglected this duty. We will ask them to
\nfulfill this. And if they continue to ignore it, we will be
\nforced to seize the luxury and semi-luxury houses, auction them
\nand use the proceeds to build the low cost houses,\" he said to
\nthe laud applause by the residents. (emb)<\/p>",
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