Apartments for squatters

JAKARTA: The city administration is to build 1,406 low-cost apartment units worth Rp 100 billion (US$11.7 million) for squatters living along riverbanks and in slum areas.

Jaender Sagala, head of City Housing Agency said on Monday at City Hall that the apartments would be divided among three locations: 539 units in Kapuk Muara, North Jakarta; 600 units in Tipar Cakung, East Jakarta; and 267 units in Karet Tengsin, Central Jakarta.

He said apartment units would be made available to poor people under a monthly rental scheme.

"We will set the rent at between Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000 per month per unit," he said.

A rental, instead of an ownership, scheme was decided upon to prevent the commonplace practice of people reselling units for their own profit, Jaender said.

"We expect to complete the construction of the apartments by the end of this year." -- JP