President opens apartments for low-income residents

President opens apartments for low-income residents

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially opened on Monday the
1,100-unit Cinta Kasih low-cost apartment complex, donated by the
Taiwan-based Buddha Tzu Chi foundation, in East Cengkareng, West
Jakarta.

The foundation spent Rp 58 billion (US$6.9 million) on
construction of the complex, which has been allocated to people
on low incomes.

Governor Sutiyoso, who accompanied Megawati, said the
apartments were part of the administration's plan to reallocate
residents squatting in locations such as riverbanks, green areas
and land owned by state and private companies.

"We hope that the central government will take part in
building low-cost apartments as the development of multistory
buildings for housing is the only choice in many large cities,
including Jakarta," Sutiyoso said.

Starting last year, the city administration planned to build
some 30,000 low-cost apartments in the city to provide permanent
accommodation for people living in urban areas.

In 2002, some 3,000 apartment units were built, and the city
has set itself a target of another 3,000 units this year.
However, many of the apartments were subsequently occupied by
people who were wealthier than the occupants for whom they were
originally intended, as the apartments were in desirable
locations.

The five-story Cinta Kasih apartment has a variety of
facilities, including buildings to house elementary and junior
high schools, a nursery, shop kiosks, medical center and housing
for teaching staff and apartment management employees.

Every apartment in the building has a family room, master
bedroom, children's bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, plus a small
area for clothes washing.

All 1,100 apartments are furnished with a wooden bed, bunk-
bed, wardrobes in each bedroom and a plastic dinner table with
six chairs.

Apartment property manager Rahman said that in the near future
a three-story market would be built in order to provide trading
opportunities for the new residents.

The foundation also promised to establish an underwear
production unit to provide employment for housewives with sewing
skills.

Residents must pay a monthly rental of Rp 90,000, plus extra
for water and electricity usage.

Rahman said that the fee was to cover the costs of providing
garbage collection, security services, green spaces and the
accommodation itself.

He added that the complex cost the foundation Rp 240 million
per month, while the fees collected from residents would total
only Rp 90 million.

The remaining 620 apartments are being prepared for occupation
by riverbank squatters, especially those who live along the Angke
River, who are due for eviction soon.

Residents already in occupation had previously been evicted
from the Angke riverbanks.

Thousands of other people evicted from slum areas have not
been fortunate enough to be offered such accommodation.