Tangerang tough on converted housed<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
\"It is prohibited to convert residences into commercial
\npremises.\" The warning signs placed by the Tangerang regental
\nadministration along the main road of Bintaro housing estate in
\nPondok Aren district were all new, but not the prohibition.<\/p>\n
Although Bylaw No. 7\/2000 on building permits that outlaws the
\nconversion of a building was enacted five years ago, many Bintaro
\nresidents claimed they were not aware of it before they turned
\ntheir houses into business premises.<\/p>\n
It is a common sight along the main road stretching from
\nsector I to sector IX to see houses that have been transformed
\ninto restaurants, mini markets, laundromats, building material
\nstores, drug stores, bakeries, travel agents and even consultant
\noffices.<\/p>\n
Budi Wijaya, 45, who used part of the house to build a seafood
\nrestaurant in 2003, claimed that he had no knowledge about the
\nregulation until he read the warning signs.<\/p>\n
\"My business is running well, but I was never told that it is
\nprohibited to use the house for commercial purposes,\" he told The
\nJakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"I don't have enough money to rent a place in the business
\ndistrict ... I will probably have to close the restaurant,\" he
\nsaid, adding that the restaurant was the source of income for the
\nfamily, 10 restaurant workers and one parking attendant.<\/p>\n
As the houses along the main road Jl. Bintaro Utama do not
\nhave enough parking space for customers, cars were seen parking
\non both sides of road and caused traffic congestion as they
\nclaimed half of the eight-meter wide road.<\/p>\n
Head of the Tangerang Building and Settlement Agency, Muhamad
\nHidayat, said that the violation of building permit use also
\noccurred in Lippo Karawaci and Bumi Serpong Damai housing
\ncomplexes.<\/p>\n
\"The illegal conversion does not only violate the bylaw on
\nbuilding permits, but it also disrupts the city's regional
\nspatial plan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, it causes heavy traffic in the areas, the emergence
\nof a social gap between the businesspeople and their neighbors,
\nnot to mention how much the administration loses in taxes,\"
\nHidayat added.<\/p>\n
The agency will send warning letters to the owners of the
\nconverted houses in the three housing estates and summon the
\ndevelopers who violated the city spatial plan.<\/p>\n
\"To enable the house owners to continue their businesses
\nthere, they must apply for new permits. If they fail to do so in
\na certain period of time, the agency will demolish the premises
\nas the consequence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Deden Sugandhi, the administration assistant who
\nsupervises physical development, said that he had prepared steps
\nto demolish illegal business sites owned by residents.<\/p>\n
\"I will not compromise with permit offenders. We have
\ndemolished five churches and a mosque in Becongan Indah housing
\ncomplex in Curug district because they violated land use
\nregulations.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tangerang-tough-on-converted-housed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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