PRR Task Force Urges Local Governments to Proactively Prepare Land for Permanent Housing
The Sumatran Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force (Satgas PRR) is urging regional governments to proactively complete land preparation to accelerate the construction of permanent housing for hydrometeorological disaster survivors in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Maruarar Sirait has requested that all affected regional governments immediately ensure communal permanent housing land is ready before physical construction begins. He emphasised that the acceleration of procurement must be balanced with the resolution of land status to prevent tendered works from being delayed due to issues outside the ministry’s authority.
“Do not let this be tendered, but the land and its location are not under our authority. Please, regional governments, resolve the land matters immediately and ensure the land is conducive,” Maruarar said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The statement was made during a Coordination Meeting on Permanent Housing Construction at the National Satgas PRR Command Post at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/7).
Maruarar also reminded local governments not merely to provide a plot of land, but to select locations safe from flooding, landslides, and the threat of recurring disasters. The permanent housing locations must be connected to schools, workplaces, markets, places of worship, health facilities, and community life centres.
“Choose what is truly good for the people. Do not place them at the end of the world, far from their children’s schools or their workplaces,” he stated.
Certainty of location, land legality, and the availability of basic infrastructure are critical factors to ensure affected communities promptly receive safe, decent, and sustainable housing.
Land readiness is a key factor in the preparation of communal ex-situ permanent housing undertaken by the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP). In 2026, the Ministry of PKP has been allocated a budget of IDR 2.22 trillion to build communal permanent housing along with its internal infrastructure, facilities, and public utilities.
The Ministry of PKP is targeting the construction of 7,952 permanent housing units in 2026. The construction land has been mapped across 54 locations with a total area of 198.21 hectares and a capacity for 7,973 units. Field surveys and technical assessments of these locations have been conducted from December 2025 to March 2026.
A total of 6,220 units will be built in 45 locations in Aceh, 919 units in four locations in North Sumatra, and 813 units in five locations in West Sumatra. The largest distribution is in Gayo Lues with 2,454 units and Aceh Tamiang with 2,212 units, followed by South Tapanuli with 872 units, North Aceh with 708 units, Central Aceh with 533 units, and Agam with 360 units. Construction is also planned in Lima Puluh Kota, Padang City, Pidie, Pidie Jaya, Pesisir Selatan, Lhokseumawe, Bireuen, and Humbang Hasundutan.
Satgas PRR Chairman Muhammad Tito Karnavian stated that regional governments need to accelerate land settlement while preparing road access, drinking water networks, drainage, and other basic necessities. Regional government support must align with the house construction by the Ministry of PKP and the proactive provision of electricity networks by state-owned electricity company PT PLN.
“Regional governments, please help so that construction is not hampered. The Ministry of PKP has explained in detail what will be worked on in 2026, the exact points, and the regencies and cities. Please assist with the land matters. For electricity, PLN will also move proactively to match the construction by the Ministry of PKP,” Tito said.
Tito acknowledged that the fiscal capacity of each region differs, particularly for land acquisition, road access construction, and the provision of drinking water networks.
If a regional government truly lacks the budgetary capacity, the Satgas PRR will coordinate central government support, including with the Ministry of Public Works, to ensure the basic needs leading to the permanent housing areas can still be met.
Overall, the permanent housing construction plan across the three provinces reaches 46,521 units. Data collection by name and by address has recorded 33,929 families, consisting of 8,714 families under the in-situ scheme, 8,627 families under the independent ex-situ scheme, and 16,588 families under the communal ex-situ scheme.
This data must continue to be updated and aligned with land readiness so that construction is accurately targeted and does not cause programme overlaps.