Permanent Housing for Disaster Victims in North Sumatra to be Inaugurated This Week
North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution announced that permanent housing (huntap) for disaster victims in North Sumatra will be inaugurated this week. The housing has been constructed with support from humanitarian organisation Tzu Chi Buddha.
“The permanent housing will be inaugurated this week. This permanent housing is being built by Tzu Chi Buddha. The assistance from Tzu Chi Buddha for the huntap will be inaugurated this week, God willing,” said Bobby at the Office of the North Sumatra Governor in Medan on Wednesday evening, 11 March 2026.
Bobby stated that the inauguration will be conducted by Tito Karnavian, Head of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Post-Disaster Sumatra and Minister of Home Affairs. Meanwhile, he said, the construction of temporary housing (huntara) for disaster victims continues to progress.
“Some of the temporary housing is already occupied, and this week the permanent housing will also be inaugurated by the Minister of Home Affairs in his capacity as Head of the Task Force in South Tapanuli, and assistance from several related ministries has also been distributed today,” he said.
Bobby stated that the government has prepared more than 3,000 temporary housing units for affected residents. In addition, some residents are receiving housing waiting assistance funds.
“More than 3,000 temporary housing units have been prepared. There are over 5,000 in total, as everyone either receives temporary housing or housing waiting assistance funds. Once someone is in temporary housing, they no longer receive housing waiting assistance,” he explained.
“This has all been recorded and is ready to be distributed and deployed. Some have already received housing waiting assistance funds, and others have already received temporary housing,” he added.
Furthermore, Bobby stated that infrastructure repairs from the disaster in his region are currently still emergency-based. The government, he said, is still awaiting finalisation of the Master Plan (Renduk) for rehabilitation and reconstruction, targeted for completion by 31 March 2026.
“The deadline given by the Coordinating Ministry and Bappenas is 31 March, at which point the final Renduk will be announced. There may be revisions to the previously announced plan, with the final version to be announced by 31 March,” he said.
Bobby stated that once the Renduk is finalised, physical work in the field will begin comprehensively. He noted that infrastructure repairs will be carried out by various parties.
“After the Renduk is finalised, physical fieldwork will be conducted by both government ministries and agencies, as well as using provincial budget allocations transferred by the President,” he explained.
“The funds have already been received, and we will allocate them for disaster management after 31 March, as per the decision. The final Renduk is due by 31 March,” he concluded.