Disaster Recovery Task Force Promotes Community Effort to Realise Permanent Housing for Disaster Survivors
Indonesia’s Satuan Tugas (Satgas) Percepatan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (PRR) [Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction] following the Sumatra disaster reported that a number of permanent housing units (huntap) have been completed for flood and landslide survivors in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces.
According to the Satgas PRR daily report as of 13 March 2026, 110 permanent housing units have been finished from a total target of 36,669 units. This figure is nearly double compared to the previous day, which had reached only 56 units, whilst a further 1,359 units remain under construction.
Aceh has achieved the highest progress, with 104 units completed from a target of 27,104 units, and 388 units currently under construction. In North Sumatra, 524 units are being built from a target of 5,815 units, whilst West Sumatra has recorded 6 units completed and 447 units in process from a total target of 3,750 units.
The success of this construction effort is the result of cross-sector collaboration involving numerous stakeholders. The Coordinating Ministry for Politics and Security, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Area Development have participated alongside Danantara, the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation, Baznas, Kadin, regional governments, and individual donors.
The Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security, General (Retired) Djamari Chaniago, recently conducted a direct inspection of permanent housing construction in North Aceh and expressed confidence in the established targets.
“Alhamdulillah, I have directly monitored the process of this permanent housing construction, which is running smoothly, from unloading materials at Belawan Port until arrival in Kuala Cangkoy and being worked on safely. I am optimistic that all targets can be completed by the end of March 2026,” he stated in a press release from the Coordinating Ministry for Politics and Security on Thursday (19/2).
The permanent housing units being constructed use galvanised steel walls and roofing that are rust-resistant and earthquake-resistant. A knock-down construction system, or rapid-build housing, was selected to make the building process more efficient and enable rapid occupancy.
Each unit is equipped with two mattresses, a dining table, chairs, a television, and a fully equipped bathroom, ensuring disaster survivors receive decent and dignified housing.
In addition to accelerating permanent housing construction, Satgas PRR is also distributing Housing Waiting Assistance (DTH) to survivors who choose not to stay in temporary shelters. The DTH assistance amounts to Rp600,000 per month for three months, so each household head receives a total of Rp1.8 million.
To date, DTH distribution has reached 100 per cent coverage to 13,728 recipients across the three provinces. The breakdown is as follows: Aceh received 7,807 recipients, North Sumatra 4,162 recipients, and West Sumatra 1,759 recipients.