Home Affairs Minister and Housing Minister Inspect BSPS in North Sumatra, Targeting 19,668 Houses for Repair

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Muhammad Tito Karnavian, along with the Minister of Housing and Human Settlements (PKP) Maruarar Sirait, inspected the implementation of the Self-Help Housing Stimulus Assistance Programme (BSPS) in Nagasaribu IV Village, Humbang Hasundutan Regency (Humbahas), North Sumatra. This inspection was conducted to ensure the readiness and accuracy of targeting for the BSPS programme in 2026, aimed at improving the quality of housing for the community, particularly for residents still occupying unfit houses (RTLH). “There are indeed two from the Ministry of Home Affairs supporting the housing programme from PKP, the BSPS programme to help people who do not yet have houses or already have houses but they are not yet decent,” Tito stated in a written remark on Thursday (26/3/2026). The number of BSPS programme recipients in North Sumatra in 2026 saw a significant increase. The total number of houses to be repaired reached 19,668 units, a sharp rise compared to the 2025 realisation of 1,982 units, and forming part of the national target of 400,000 house units. Out of 33 regencies/cities receiving the BSPS programme in North Sumatra, Humbang Hasundutan Regency was allocated 457 house units. During the event held today, Thursday (26/3), Tito emphasised that the success of the BSPS programme greatly depends on the spirit of community mutual cooperation. According to him, self-help housing construction requires active participation from residents, differing from commercial housing. “This solidarity must truly be upheld, including in building houses. Because building self-help houses requires gotong royong,” he explained. He also stressed that providing decent housing is closely linked to efforts to alleviate poverty and extreme poverty, as well as being one of the performance evaluation indicators for regional heads by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri). Furthermore, Tito revealed that the government provides various facilitations for low-income communities (MBR) in house construction, such as exemptions from Building Construction Approval (PBG) levies, Acquisition Duty on Land and Building Rights (BPHTB), and Value Added Tax (PPN). This policy represents cross-ministerial synergy in supporting the acceleration of the national housing programme. Additionally, Tito appreciated the local government and community for accelerating recovery after the disaster in Humbahas. He assessed that the area’s conditions are now almost fully restored, both in terms of public infrastructure and worship facilities. “I am impressed with Humbahas. The solidarity of the Regent, the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, and the entire community is extraordinary. Roads that were previously blocked by landslides were cleared in just four days,” he concluded.