Housing Minister Inspects Meikarta, Sets 20 Hectares for Subsidized Flats

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Housing and Settlement Areas Minister Maruarar Sirait inspects the Meikarta area on Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 in Bekasi to prepare 20 hectares of land for subsidized apartment blocks aimed at low-income households, a move intended to accelerate urban housing supply near industrial zones and toll road access. The plan is expected to shorten commuting time for workers while expanding affordable housing stock in Greater Jakarta.

Maruarar Sirait said the government would develop subsidized flats at two separate sites of around 10 hectares each, both located close to industrial estates and the Cibatu Toll Gate on the Jakarta–Cikampek toll road. “Today I came to Meikarta, as we have stated, we will build subsidized flats here,” he said while speaking at the site in Jayamukti Village, Central Cikarang.

He explained that one site was around two kilometers from the industrial area, while the second site was located near the end of the toll road, about 2.5 kilometers from major factories. According to him, this proximity was critical to ensure affordability was matched with accessibility to workplaces.

The inspection was carried out together with officials from the Directorate General of Urban Housing to complete technical data collection. Maruarar said the planning process also mapped access to essential facilities such as places of worship, schools, markets, hospitals, and public transportation.

“I asked the team to map how far it is to places of worship, schools, markets, hospitals, and what the public transport access looks like,” he said.

Maruarar added that the subsidized flat project in Meikarta had been reported to President Prabowo Subianto and to Housing Task Force head Hashim Djojohadikusumo. He stressed that the project would be executed quickly while remaining fully compliant with regulations.

He also confirmed that he would meet West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi next week at the provincial office in Bandung to conduct further verification, as one of the sites partially overlaps with protected agricultural land. “Rice fields are clearly not allowed to be used,” he said, emphasizing that protected farmland would be excluded from development.

On the permitted 10-hectare plot, the government estimated it could build up to 18 residential towers under existing rules. The project would also include supporting facilities such as schools, clinics, green spaces, and sports areas within the residential complex.

Maruarar said the ministry was finalizing financing schemes, legal arrangements, installment structures, and building designs to ensure affordability for low-income households. “The director general and her team have been working hard on the financing scheme, the legal structure, the installments, and the design,” he said.

He added that the government had prepared several other locations with different developers and would continue site surveys in the coming weeks. “We hope this year there will be a real breakthrough that benefits our people, especially low-income households,” he said.

Earlier, Maruarar confirmed that construction of subsidized flats in Meikarta would begin in 2026 and could not be postponed. He said the developer had prepared the land, while the ministry would ensure readiness and regulatory compliance before construction starts.