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Rent arrears for Jakarta’s low-cost apartments reach Rp 32 billion
Many Jakartans residing in low-cost apartments are apparently struggling to pay the rent, as data from the city’s Public Housing and Government Buildings Agency shows that the total arrears amount to Rp 32 billion (US$1.95 million).
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Youths play soccer at the Rawa Bebek low-cost apartment complex in East Jakarta. (beritajakarta.com/File)
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any Jakartans residing in rumah susun, or rusun (low-cost apartments), are apparently struggling to pay the rent, as data from the city’s Public Housing and Government Buildings Agency shows that the total arrears amount to Rp 32 billion (US$1.95 million).
Meli Budiastuti, head of the counseling and community participation division at the agency, said that in June alone the arrears totaled Rp 26 billion.
“The figure is the total amount in 23 locations from January to June,” she said at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.
The agency head Agustino Darmawan said that most of the residents struggling to pay the rental fee because they had insufficient income and most of their earnings had to be spent to meet their daily needs.
“The amount of income and expenditures is almost equal, so they could not allocate any for saving. That’s why many of them fail to pay the rental fees. However, we can’t always accept that reason,” he said.
He said that to reprimand the residents, the agency would send warning letters and would seal the units should they keep failing to meet their obligations. However, he was quick to add that compromises would be found for the elderly.
“We will consider their capability. If they have limitations or are already old, we will communicate with social institutions or Bazis [the Muslim Charitable Donations Board] to cover the fees. We can’t just let the elderly go out from the rusun,” Agustino said. (fac)
