The city administration frees up rental costs for occupants in 32 low-cost rental apartments (rusunawa) in the capital amid COVID-19 pandemic.

This breakthrough is an incentive for them to survive in the face of a pandemic

It is compliance with the Gubernatorial Regulation number 61/2020 on granting regional levies relief or abolition of administrative sanctions against those affected by COVID-19 outbreak.

Jakarta Public Housing and Settlement Acting Head Sarjoko stated that the rusunawa occupants were generally low-income people. Surely the pandemic had brought negative impact on the ability of the economy and weaken the purchasing power of low-income occupants.

"This breakthrough is an incentive for them to survive in the face of a pandemic," he expressed, Wednesday (7/8).

He explained it would take effect on April 13 until the end of Presidential Decree number 12/2020 on COVID-19 as a national disaster. However, it did not include fees for using water and electricity.

"We will do a recount that has not been paid in April, May and June and does not become an arrears figure," he explained.

According to him, those who had already paid unit fees were confirmed to be no returnees yet it would be used for further payments after the status of the national disaster was revoked. He added, besides rusunawa, it also applied to business units.

"There are levies for kiosks and housing, right now we have 1,952 business units, but only 1,384 units have been filled. All are exempt from fees," he explained.

As for the information, in 32 rusunawa, the number of units for programmed residents is 8,993 units, while 9,246 units are for common citizens. The total population is about 18,427 households with 65,913 inhabitants.