S. Jakarta to have low-cost apartments

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty administration plans to appropriate a 17.3 hectare plot of land in West Tebet for the development of low-cost apartments.

M. Yanis, a spokesman for the mayoralty administration, told The Jakarta Post over the weekend that the project proposal had been submitted to the governor's office for approval.

"The proposal is being reviewed by a team from the governor's office," Yanis said.

The mayoralty land commission team, Yanis said, has also forwarded a proposal on land appropriation to the governor's office, which will determine the amount of compensation to be paid to the area residents.

The 17.3 hectare plot of land to be appropriated for the apartments' project includes a 1.3-hectare slum area which burnt down on May 11. The blaze gutted 230 houses, leaving more than 1,000 people homeless.

Yanis said only around 3.4 hectares or 20 percent of the 17.3 hectare plot will be used for the development of apartments while the rest will be kept as parks, in line with the city spatial plan.

The development of apartments in the area will only be possible after a review on the 1965-85 City Masterplan, which states that the area was designated as a greenbelt.

"The review was suggested by the city administration based on large demands of residents on proper housing," Yanis said.

In stages

The development of the low-cost apartments will be conducted in stages due to budgetary constraints faced by the government to finance the project and to provide temporary shelter for the area residents.

"Local residents have two choices-- stay in the apartments or collect compensation and then move to other areas in the city. But we, in fact, hope that they are willing to move in," Yanis said.

A family of five is eligible to own one unit of 21-square- meters and those who have larger families can apply for a larger unit with permission granted by the governor's office.

The apartments will also be available for low-income people from other areas in the mayoralty. "But the priority, of course, will be given to local residents," he said.

There are three major pockets of slum areas in the mayoralty, Manggarai subdistrict with 4,497 poor people, Bukit Duri subdistrict with 6,882 poor people and Pela Mampang with 5,572 poor people.

The construction cost of the project will be taken from the city budget and funds given by property developers as part of the implementation of a city regulation requiring developers of high-rise buildings and posh housing complexes to build low-cost houses.

Under the regulation developers can pay compensation if they do not build the low-cost houses.

"We have received Rp 2.5 billion from the developer of Kemang Garden Apartments," Yanis said. (yns)