Many Poor Jakarta Residents Cannot Buy IDR 0 DP Houses, Finally, Simple Flat Ala Ahok Becomes A Solution?

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok (Photo Collage)

JAKARTA - The governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan raised the highest income limit (salary) for IDR 0 DP house owners, from IDR 7 million to IDR 14, 8 million.

This decision was ratified on June 10, 2020, through the Governor's Decree (Kepgub) Number 558 of 2020 concerning the Maximum Income Limit for the Beneficiary of Housing Financing Facilities for Low-Income Communities.

When it comes to the progress of the IDR 0 DP house ownership data, it turns out that not many residents have received this house financing facility. As of March 5, the IDR 0 DP house in Pondok Kelapa has just sold 599 units of the 780 housing units provided. In fact, there are 37,405 applicants who are interested in staying there.

Unfortunately, many of them do not pass bank verification. One of the factors is because they have other installments and may not be able to pay credit every month.

DKI DPRD Commission B member Gilbert Simanjuntak suspects that the reason for the increase in residents' income requirements to a maximum of IDR 14.8 million has other purposes. He said this was to increase the number of housing units that could be sold.

"This is a strategy to make the house look salable. In fact, this is a wrong strategy. People who earn IDR 14.8 are in the middle category," Gilbert said when contacted, Thursday, March 18.

According to Gilbert, with residents who earn up to IDR 14.8 million, it makes it easier for the banks to work together with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to facilitate the IDR 0 DP house loan to pass the sale of their units.

"If we see, the IDR 14.8 million increase is because they want the bank to pay installments for residents who buy it. So far, the bank does not want to pay it because if the income is only IDR 7 million, the bank is also hesitant, afraid that the credit will be bad," he concluded.

The question is, are people with an income of up to IDR 14.8 million in the low-income category or are they poor?

Urban policy analyst from FAKTA, Azas Tigor Nainggolan, feels that the opportunity to have an IDR 0 DP house with this new policy is actually targeting middle to upper-class citizens.

"Which poor people have a minimum income of IDR 14 million? Anies Baswedan's determination and way of thinking is strange," said Tigor.

In the end, Rusunawa became a solution?

Acting Head (Plt) Head of the DKI Jakarta Public Housing and Settlement Area Office, Sarjoko admitted that many low-income or poor residents did not pass the selection for the recipient of the IDR 0 DP house.

Therefore, this subordinate of the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan suggested that residents who do not qualify to receive IDR 0 DP house are better off choosing a simple rented flat (rusunawa).

"For groups that are still not in accordance with banking regulations, we prioritize getting flat while managing their financial conditions," said Sarjoko.

Sarjoko said that currently, his party is preparing a mechanism so that groups with low income can comply with banking regulations and the existing installment system can remain light and affordable. However, while they were asked to stay in the flat.

"The hope is, with access to inexpensive Rusunawa, complete facilities, and cheap transportation facilities, it will be easier for you to organize your finances to buy a house that belongs to you," he said.

Actually, the Rusunawa program has been around for a long time. This housing placement program with low rental costs has become a mainstay of former DKI Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok).

When he was still in office, Ahok often relocated residents whose income was very minimal, around IDR 3 million/month. They are provided with flats with unit specifications covering an area of 36 square meters.

People who live in the flat will only be charged a fee of IDR 5,000 to IDR 15 thousand per day. The fee is paid for maintenance and cleaning costs. Then, residents of the flat will be provided with supporting facilities, ranging from Transjakarta bus access to health services.