MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Government funding for housing renovations for low-income families in North Sumatra has increased significantly in 2026. The central government has allocated assistance for 15,011 housing units under the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance (Bantuan Stimulan Perumahan Swadaya, BSPS) programme. This represents an increase of 13,029 units, or 657 per cent, compared with the 1,982 units allocated in 2025. The increase offers thousands of families an opportunity to improve their living conditions. At the same time, local authorities must accelerate data collection, verification and programme implementation.
The increased allocation is particularly significant because adequate housing is a basic necessity that affects health, safety and quality of life. The housing renovation programme aims to help low-income families improve their living conditions and repair homes that do not yet meet the required housing standards.
However, the larger allocation does not automatically guarantee that all renovation assistance will be delivered promptly. Authorities must ensure that all prospective beneficiaries meet the eligibility requirements, administrative procedures run smoothly and renovation work complies with the applicable programme guidelines.
The North Sumatra Provincial Government is therefore strengthening cooperation with regency and municipal administrations to accelerate the implementation of the assistance programme.
Timur Tumanggor, Acting Regional Secretary of the North Sumatra Provincial Government, explained this during a meeting with Sri Haryati, Director General of Urban Housing at the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas. The meeting took place on Friday, 9 October 2026, at the Regional Secretary's Office in the North Sumatra Governor's Office, Jalan Pangeran Diponegoro No. 30, Medan.
Tumanggor said the provincial government would immediately coordinate with housing and settlement authorities in all regencies and municipalities. This coordination is necessary to ensure that local administrations support the implementation of the national programme, which is intended to reach communities across North Sumatra.
"We will immediately coordinate with the housing and settlement authorities in the regencies and municipalities. We hope this housing renovation programme will have a positive and far-reaching impact on North Sumatra," he said.
Tumanggor also thanked the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas for increasing the funding allocation for North Sumatra. The provincial government hopes the additional support will enable more low-income residents to gain access to adequate housing.
15,011 Housing Units Allocated to Urban and Rural Areas
Sri Haryati, Director General of Urban Housing at the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, explained that the government had allocated assistance for a total of
15,
011 housing units in North Sumatra under the renovation programme for 2026. Of this total, 3,411 units were allocated to settlement areas, 4,505 to urban areas and 7,065 to rural areas.
This distribution demonstrates that the programme covers both urban and rural communities. The government hopes the allocation will better address the renovation needs of families living in areas with different settlement patterns.
"In 2025, North Sumatra received an allocation of 1,982 housing units under the renovation programme. In 2026, the number increased by 13,029 units, or 657 per cent," she said.
The increase will allow the government to assist more families who need to improve their housing conditions. At the same time, local administrations must adapt their preparations and procedures to accommodate the larger allocation, ensuring that the additional funding reaches the people who need it.
Sri Haryati emphasised that her visit to North Sumatra was intended to ensure the programme was implemented effectively. The Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas will also visit several regions in person to review progress and identify potential problems on the ground.
ACCELERATING THE HOUSING RENOVATION PROGRAMME: Timur Tumanggor, Acting Regional Secretary of the North Sumatra Provincial Government, highlights the importance of coordination with regency and municipal administrations to speed up the implementation of the housing renovation programme in 2026. (PHOTO: Imam Syahputra)
9,068 Housing Units Undergoing Data Collection and Verification
According to the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, 9,068 of the 15,011 housing units allocated for the programme are currently undergoing data collection and verification. This represents approximately 60.4 per cent of the total allocation.
A further 5,943 units have not yet entered the data collection and verification process. This figure highlights the need to accelerate administrative procedures. However, it does not mean that renovation work on the same number of houses remains unfinished.
The North Sumatra Provincial Government must work closely with regency and municipal administrations to strengthen coordination, ensure accurate data collection on prospective beneficiaries and verify compliance with the applicable eligibility requirements. These measures are also essential to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most.
"I am here to ensure that the programme is implemented. We will travel directly to the regions, including Serdang Bedagai, Deli Serdang and Medan, to monitor its implementation,"
Sri Haryati said.
The visits to Serdang Bedagai Regency, Deli Serdang Regency and Medan are intended to identify obstacles to implementation and determine the necessary steps for housing units that remain at an early stage of processing.
The programme's success depends on accurate data, the readiness of local administrations and effective monitoring of implementation. Every stage must proceed according to schedule and comply with the applicable requirements. This will ensure that the increased allocation delivers tangible improvements for residents rather than remaining a figure on paper.
15,011 HOUSING UNITS ALLOCATED FOR RENOVATION: Sri Haryati, Director General of Urban Housing at the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, explains the allocation covering 15,011 housing units and the planned inspections to monitor implementation in several regions. (PHOTO: Imam Syahputra)
Rp20 Million per Household for Renovation Work
Sri Haryati explained that each eligible household would receive assistance worth 20 million rupiah. Of this amount, 17.5 million rupiah is earmarked for building materials, while 2.5 million rupiah is allocated to pay construction workers.
This funding structure covers the main costs of housing renovation, from purchasing building materials to paying labourers. Beneficiaries can use the assistance for its designated purposes to make their homes safer and more suitable for habitation.
In addition to improving housing conditions for low-income families, the programme could also strengthen the local economy. Purchases of building materials will support local building suppliers and retailers, while renovation projects will create employment opportunities for construction workers and other labourers in the respective regions.
However, the programme's success depends on more than the amount of funding provided. Equally important are the proper selection of beneficiaries, the appropriate use of funds, the quality of renovation work and effective on-site monitoring.
Close cooperation between the central government, the provincial government and regency and municipal administrations is essential to achieving these objectives. Local authorities must speed up administrative procedures while ensuring that all assistance activities comply with the applicable regulations.
The 657 per cent increase in housing renovation assistance gives North Sumatra an opportunity to extend access to adequate housing to more people. The next challenge is to implement every stage of the process efficiently so that the additional funding and larger number of supported housing units genuinely benefit families in need, in both urban and rural areas.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala