Have you ever heard of subsidized apartments? The phrase has become more popular these days, especially with high-rise buildings gaining more traction as the next solution in affordable housing. That is especially true when you consider that it’s no longer possible to encourage building traditional housing complexes in Jakarta.
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However, to young people with lower income, living in an apartment is still seemingly more costly when compared to renting rooms or tiny houses (kontrakan). On the other hand, this also restricts them from freedom as well as the increasing demands of their landowners.
Enter the rusunami or subsidized apartment by the government. Unlike kontrakan, the rusunami program allows families of lower incomes to obtain full ownership of their apartment units with some subsidy from the government.
However, not everybody is allowed to gain this housing aid. There are criteria you need to fulfill to apply for the rusunami program. Furthermore, like every other governmental program, there needs to be an understanding of what the rusunami is and how it benefits lower-income families as its market.
In this article, join us as we try to explain what the rusunami is, its perks, and the eligible beneficiaries to the program. Our sources are extracted and translated from various housing and financial websites such as Jendela360, Arsitag, Finansialku, Lamudi, and many more.
What is a Rusunami/ Subsidized Apartment?
Rusunami is an abbreviation for rumah susun sederhana milik (English: owned basic flat). The name rusunami refers to a governmental housing project for vertical buildings that are taller than eight stories.
Due to its physical similarity to an apartment, developers begin to refer to the program as subsidized apartments. They also prefer to shed the name rusunami due to the negative connotations associated with the term rusun (which usually refers to poorly-developed vertical housing projects).
The subsidized part refers to the subsidy that the government hands out to eligible applicants. People who can’t fulfill the requirements can still buy units in the same apartment, but they won’t get the subsidy.
How much does a Subsidized Apartment in Jakarta cost?
Subsidized apartments in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area vary considerably according to location. According to Jendela360, the Pondok Cina Apartment, for example, (located near Universitas Indonesia in Depok), is priced at Rp 7 million per square meter. The types that they offer in this apartment start from Studio (18-21 square meters), 1BR (30-32 square meters), and 2BR (40-44 square meters). This means that the prices for the rooms start from Rp 210 million to 308 million.
What Kind of Apartments Classify as Subsidized Apartments?
For units, according to Arsitag, subsidized apartments should have a standard minimum size of 18 square meters, and a maximum of 50 square meters. They should also have at least one bedroom within or outside of the main room. Ventilation and lighting must also suffice, as well as electricity and water pumping systems. Tenants’ ownership is not only limited to closed spaces, but also open spaces (balconies, etc.).
Other facilities include a parking lot, sewage, waste disposal, fire extinguishers, electricity, gas, telephone, and other means of communication.
Subsidized apartments also need to have a shopping arcade, open spaces, worship halls, and a public service area.
Forms of Governmental Subsidy
The government offers different types of subsidies to attract prospective applicants as well as offer financial leverage. According to Finansialku.com, some of the programs include:
- down payment discount up to Rp7.000.000,00 (according to category)
- exception from value-added tax
Who Can Apply for Subsidized Apartments?
The main target is, of course, middle to lower class families on a limited income. As discussed before, subsidized apartment units tend to have reduced prices than regular ones.
To make sure that the subsidy is distributed evenly to people who need it, the government has set up criteria for applicants:
- Indonesian national who resides in Indonesia
Prospective applicants must be an Indonesian national and must own an Indonesian ID (Kartu Tanda Penduduk Indonesia or KTP). The place of domicile written on the ID must also correspond to the apartment’s location. For example, a person with a Tangerang ID can’t apply for a unit in Cibubur, East Jakarta. They are only eligible if their original residence is also in Jakarta.
- Aged 21 or married
A person (usually the head of a family) must at least be 21 years of age and is already married to gain the benefits.
- Has the main income no bigger than 7 million
The program’s main target is families with lower income, specifically those with main earnings that are no more than Rp7.000.000,00.
- Has been working or running a business for at least 1 year
Although the subsidized apartment program aims for underprivileged families, the government needs to make sure that they’ll still have the means to pay for the property. That’s why applicants need to have at least one year’s worth of employment or at least has been running a business for at least a year.
- Has never accepted homeownership nor has ever accepted house purchase subsidy from the government
The government takes this matter seriously and will check their records to avoid classification. For example, every investor or developer must notify the Public Service Agency Center for Housing Financing (Badan Layanan Umum Pusat Pembiayaan Perumahan) whenever they lease or sell a property to someone.
If a person knowingly or unknowingly buys or rents a property directly from an investor without notifying the above-mentioned authority and still applies for the program, the government will sanction them by fining or retracting the unit from the applicant.
- Has an NPWP or Yearly PPh SPT
The subsidy program is intended for applicants with an official tax-paying record.
- Passes through a Bank Selection
You can only apply for the apartment subsidy only if you’ve passed bank screening and declared eligible for a Home Ownership Credit (Kredit Kepemilikan Rumah).
There are other criteria an applicant will have to fulfill as well as documents they need to prepare. If you’re interested in applying, please look for further information and references from official government sources.
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