West Aceh Regency Constructs 10 Stilt Houses for Flood Victims
Meulaboh (ANTARA) - The West Aceh Regency Government, via the Department of Public Housing and Settlement (Perkim), is realising the construction of 10 units of habitable stilt houses for low-income communities, specifically for natural disaster victims.
“This assistance programme is prioritised for residents living in flood-prone areas,” said the Head of the Housing Division of the West Aceh Regency Department of Public Housing and Settlement, Ferdi Handaya, to journalists on Thursday.
He explained that the construction of these stilt-type habitable houses is due to the fact that the locations are in areas that have frequently been hit by natural flood disasters during the rainy season.
For this fiscal year, 10 house units are being built across several regions of West Aceh Regency, including five units in Pasi Masjid Village, Meureubo District; two units in Marek Village, Kaway XVI District; and one unit each in Arongan, Woyla, and Sungai Mas Districts.
“The construction of these 10 habitable house units is sourced from the TKD/DTU budget (General Transfer Fund) returned from the central government to the region, with a total physical budget ceiling of Rp1.4 billion,” he added.
Ferdi stated that the process of determining the aid recipients underwent thorough stages of proposal verification and submission before finally being established through a Decree (SK) from the Regent of West Aceh.
“We have been processing and verifying the proposals for a long time. After submitting them to the Regent and having them established via Decree, Alhamdulillah, the recipients of this habitable house assistance sourced from the Regional Transfer Fund (TKD) have been officially selected,” he said.
Ferdi Handaya explained that the recipients of this housing assistance must meet several strict criteria, including being categorised as Low-Income Communities (MBR) with a welfare level of no more than decile 4.
Furthermore, they must have family dependents, lack permanent employment, possess valid proof of land ownership, and their previous housing conditions must be classified as highly uninhabitable.
Specifically for flood-prone areas, the houses are being built using a stilt house concept. This is adjusted to the geographical field conditions where water accumulation frequently reaches heights of more than one metre.
“In locations such as Pasi Masjid Village, Meureubo District, flooding occurs routinely every year. Therefore, the house specifications are designed as stilt houses measuring 6 x 7 metres, featuring structural pillars, reinforced concrete floor slabs, and brick walls to ensure resistance against floodwaters,” he explained.
The West Aceh Regency Government aims to complete the entire physical and financial administration process by mid-December 2026.
“On average, the contract period expires on 8 December. We hope that by that date, the Provisional Hand Over (PHO) or handover of work can be conducted. Subsequently, between 10 and 15 December, we will complete the budget disbursement process and the handover of keys to the beneficiary communities,” Ferdi concluded.