Two Housing Schemes for Disaster Victims in Sumatra

The government, through the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) Post-Sumatra Disaster, continues to expedite recovery efforts for communities affected by hydrometeorological disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. One of the main steps to be taken soon after Eid al-Fitr 1447 H/2026 is the construction of permanent housing (huntap) for residents who have lost their homes. This programme is focused on survivors whose houses suffered severe damage, collapsed, or were swept away by floods. The presence of permanent housing is expected to serve as a starting point for communities to resume a more stable and safe life. The Head of Satgas PRR Post-Sumatra Disaster, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, stated that further coordination with local governments will be conducted after Lebaran. This step aims to ensure that ready areas can immediately begin construction. “We have an agreement to coordinate with the Minister of PKP after this Lebaran to visit local governments that are ready to be built, to build them immediately,” he said. He emphasised that synergy between the central and local governments is key to accelerating the realisation of the programme. Several institutions are involved in this process, including BNPB, the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP), the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs, and Polri. Additionally, support comes from the private sector and the public. In its implementation, the construction of huntap will use two main approaches. The first is the in-situ scheme, namely building houses at the location or near the previous residence. This scheme is only applied in areas declared safe from disaster risks. One example location using this method is Bireuen Regency, with a proposal to build 365 housing units. Meanwhile, the second scheme is communal or centralised relocation construction. In this approach, housing will be built in a new area that has been confirmed safe and habitable. This scheme is intended for residents who previously lived in areas with high vulnerability levels, making it impossible to inhabit again. Overall, Satgas PRR records plans to build 36,669 permanent housing units in the three affected provinces. Of this number, 110 units have been completed, while another 1,359 units are still in the construction phase.