Identification of Problems to Be Addressed in the Effort Of Empowering Low-Income Urban Communities in Fulfilling Their Needs for Housing

• Main Author: AMELIA, NANI
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/45838
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

In coping with problems faced by low-income communities to filfill their needs for housing, particularly the urban poor in the Indonesian cities, there has been an evolving idea that the institution 2nd finctioning of development-consultants is needed. The question arises in connection to the realization of that idea is : 'What attributes, in terms of knowledge and capability, are needed for such consultants'. A preceding question that has to be addressed is : 'What is the spectrum of problems that are faced by urban poor in hlfilling their needs for housing?'. Only by understanding those would it be possible to pinpoint what type of assistance is needed by such community, thereby the necessary attributes of the development consultants cauld be derived. This study is undertaken to identify what problems should be addressed in undertakings to assist the poor in overcoming the problem previously stated. Based on established literature, it is found that the generic problem that the poor faces are their lack of access to eight social bases: for livelihood, namely defensible life space, surplus time, knowledge and skill, appropriate information, social organization, social network, instrument of work and livelihood, and financial resources. They also lack of power over personal clioices and life chances, the definition of needs, ideas, institutions, resources, economic activity and reproduction. Referring to the previously cited findings, an attempt is made to assess how is the living condition of the urban poor in Indonesia in terms of the stated deficiencies that the poor have. This was done by gathering available data concerning the income level and other conditions about the urban poor in Indonesia, as well as information on government efforts in trying to alleviate the problem through the massive development of low cost housing It was revealed that all of the mentioned eight social bases and seven powers for appropriate livelihood are experienced by the urban poor of the cities in Indonesia. The government effort in developing low cost housing has only been able to partially address the housing problem of the upper group of low-income communities, but not the urban paor. The prices of the houses so provided are beyond the reach of the poor. Aside from that, the approach taken by the government, in many instances, also leads to a newly emerging problem. The housing complexes being developed, in many instances very quickly transform into new slums, as many of the occupants have to spend higher expenses for transport due to the remoteness from their work place. Thereby reducing their net income and the consequent lack of ability to repay for the purchase of the house. In turn, this is draining the capacity that the government has to further the effort. In helping the urban poor to overcome their needs for accommodation, it is mandatory that in the first instance, they should be facilitated to undertake income-generating activities through various institutional schemes. It is therefore mandatory that development consultants have the capability in assisting the poor to develop micro-enterprises. They must also have the capability of taking the role as an 'arranger' in the institutionalization of micro-financing schemes to support the development of the micro- enterprises, and other complimentary institutions that are necessary in alleviating the lack of social bases and power that the poor are facing. This study has not wver any analysis to address the problem of how those institutionalization processes should be undertaken. As such it is recommended that a series of studies be made to address the problem.