Benhil apartment expensive: Fire victims

JAKARTA (JP): Up to yesterday, only 192 of the 360 families eligible for new homes in the Benhil II apartment complex.

The Benhil II apartment complex has 614 units, 360 of which have been reserved for registered fire victims.

An administrative staffer at the Bendungan Hilir subdistrict office, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was uncertain what would happen to the unclaimed units since ownership opportunities are not open to the public.

Many residents earlier complained about the high price of the apartment units. They said they sold their rights because they could not afford the down payment and monthly installments.

The subdistrict source said that no such violations have been detected.

"Even if it is so, there is no way for us to know quickly," the source added.

In 1994, fire razed the Central Jakarta area, leaving some 465 families homeless. The government pacified fire victims who wanted to rebuild their homes by promising them priority to apartment units as well as subsidizing their parkways.

Each unit costs between Rp 35 million and Rp 40 million depending on the floor on which it is located -- the higher the cheaper.

Fire victims are required to pay only between Rp 10 million and Rp 15 million in installments over a period of up to 20 years.

Sartimin, a former community neighborhood chief who was preparing to move into an apartment building yesterday, told The Jakarta Post that he had paid a down payment of Rp 6.7 million last year and will pay the rest over 20 years.

The Benhil II apartment complex, which has three blocks of 10- story apartment buildings, was built on a 1.2 hectare plot of land.

Type-21, the cheapest of the low cost units in the city's apartment buildings consists of one room, a bathroom and a balcony.

The Benhil II apartment complex will be dedicated by the governor of Jakarta on May 31. (14)