City to build low-cost apartments

City to build low-cost apartments

JAKARTA: The city administration plans to build low-cost
apartments for residents who are currently living in slums along
the Kali Angke river in North Jakarta, to provide them with a
more humane place to live.

"We will provide them with a more humane settlement instead of
evicting them out of the area," Governor Sutiyoso said during his
visit on Wednesday.

"The city administration will build 3,000 homes, although
there are less than that number currently residing on the river.
We can use the remaining units for residents from other
unauthorized areas," he was quoted by city-owned news portal
www.beritajakarta.com as saying.

Separately, head of the City Housing Agency, Jaendar Sagala
said that land acquisition was the major obstacle for the
construction of more low-cost apartments as land owners often
demand much higher prices than the administration's budget
allocates for such purposes.

"This year we will acquire land in Marunda in North Jakarta;
Rawa Bebek in East Jakarta and another plot in South Jakarta."

Sagala also admitted that most of the residents did not have
the financial ability to buy the low-cost units.

"Those who have the ability usually sell their homes to other
people and return to their original place in the slum area.

"That's why we will change the system. We will rent the units
instead of selling them to residents," he added. -- JP