by Ivan Hadar (published in Jakarta Globe, July 29, 2009)

In 2007, the SBY-JK administration proclaimed its “1,000 Towers” plan, the provision of one million high-rise apartments, mostly in Jakarta and other large cities in Java, to address a growing housing crisis. According to official estimates, the demand for housing in Indonesia has reached at least 5.5 million units and will increase annually by approximately one million units. The towers were originally scheduled for completion this year, but by the end of 2008 only 86 towers had been built.

The official estimates of housing needs do not fully reflect the realities of the housing situation. Missing are the millions of families who are registered as owning a residence that does not meet eligibility standards. Many of these housing situations are a result of natural disasters.

In general, the housing crisis is marked by slum housing, including sheds and illegal shelters in river floodplains and under bridges, that has expanded and reached into most corners of large cities. The housing crisis is also marked by social-space inequalities resulting in the number of houses occupied exceeding the capacity, a very high housing density in certain regions, the unavailability of space for privacy, the loss of public space and recreation and housing locations that are at some distance from the workplace.

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