Developers support 'one subsidized house, one tree' programme
A number of housing developer associations have voiced their support for the proposed ‘one subsidized house, one tree’ programme, which is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Housing and Residential Areas (PKP) as part of an effort to green residential areas.
The Minister of PKP, Maruarar Sirait, stated that the government and developer associations have discussed this policy to support the greening and ecosystem preservation of residential zones. “We will issue a policy, which we have discussed together, ensuring that for every subsidized house built, there is one tree,” Maruarar said at the Ministry of PKP in Jakarta on Monday.
The General Chair of Real Estate Indonesia (REI), Joko Suranto, noted that the programme is a positive step towards supporting reforestation and responding to the impacts of climate change. “This is our way of encouraging greening as a form of caring for the earth and our future generations, as the effects of climate change are already being felt,” said Joko.
He added that the mechanism for tree planting would be left to the developers and homeowners to ensure it can be adapted to the specific environmental conditions and needs of each area. According to him, REI had previously initiated a ‘one million trees’ programme, which was subsequently discussed with the government, leading to the current ‘one house, one tree’ concept.
Meanwhile, the General Chair of the Association of People’s Residential and Housing Developers (Himperra), Ari Tri Priyono, stated that developer associations fully support the policy as it is not seen as a burden to developers. “It would only require an additional Rp100,000 or Rp200,000 to implement,” said Tri.
He believes the programme can help increase public awareness regarding the importance of green spaces and the quality of the residential environment. Tri noted that the public needs to understand that rising temperatures cannot be addressed solely through the use of air conditioning. “Heat cannot be fought with AC alone. Oxygen is needed,” he remarked.
The General Chair of the Central Executive Board of the National House Developer and Marketer Association (Asprumnas), Muhammad Syawali, assessed that the programme could help reduce heat impacts while increasing water absorption in residential areas. “This increases greenery and ensures more stable water availability in the soil,” said Syawali.
The government previously set a target to construct and finance approximately 350,000 subsidised houses by 2026. In addition to the greening programme, the government is preparing several housing sector policies, such as FLPP mortgage tenures of up to 40 years, relaxation of the Financial Services Information Service System (SLIK) by the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the accelerated resolution of land issues for subsidised housing.