This Is The Reason Why The DKI Provincial Government Again Collects Rusunawa Rental Fees

Illustration. A number of elementary school students played in the Rusunawa Marunda area, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 3, 2019. (ANTARA-M Risyal Hidayat)

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government explained the reason for returning to collecting rental rates for simple rented flats (rusunawa) in Jakarta after previously exempting costs since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acting Head of the DKI Jakarta Public Housing and Settlement Area (DPRKP), Afan Adriansyah, explained that currently the status of the pandemic has been revoked in Indonesia.

Thus, the end of the pandemic status resulted in the legal umbrella for the provision of leniency in levies for areas affected by COVID-19 being revoked and not applicable.

On that basis, the flat rental rate is re-imposed which refers to the 2018 tariff in accordance with Governor Regulation Number 55 of 2018 concerning Adjustment of Housing Service Retribution Tariffs.

"It is necessary to pay close attention to the implementation of the flat rental rate as a follow-up to the revocation of the COVID-19 pandemic status, as well as the current consideration of Jakarta's economic condition, after the pandemic, it has improved," said Afan in his statement, Thursday, December 21.

Moreover, Afan explained that the re-implementation of the flat rental rate has taken into account the positive development of the Jakarta economy which grew by 4.93 percent in the third quarter of 2023, as recorded in data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) 2020-2023.

"That way, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government believes that the return of flat rental rates is a step that is in accordance with regional economic and financial conditions," explained Afan.

Furthermore, Afan said that the DKI Provincial Government is still trying to maintain purchasing power and ease the economic burden on its citizens, especially to the residents of the flats, while still providing various subsidies programs, including busway transportation subsidies, cheap foods, Smart Jakarta Cards (KJP), Jakarta Elderly Cards (KLJ), to skills training.

As an indication, during the pandemic, former DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan provided relief on the cost of rent for low-income people (MBR) living in flats during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This retribution tariff relief policy is regulated in DKI Governor Regulation Number 61 of 2020 concerning the Provision of Regional Retribution Relief and/or Elimination of Administrative Sanctions for Mandatory Retribution Affected by COVID-19 National Disasters.

Rusunawa residents are released in rental fees starting from April 13 until the central government ends the determination of COVID-19 as a national disaster. However, the reduction of flat rental does not include other cost burdens, such as water and electricity usage bills.

The reason for the DKI Provincial Government to provide exemptions from Rusunawa rental costs is to reduce the living expenses of residents due to the COVID-19 pandemic whose purchasing power has weakened due to the PSBB regulations. As a result, many residents are in arrears in flat rental costs.