STRATEGIES FOR PROVIDING VERTICAL HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES: AN EVALUATION OF THE HOUSING BACKLOG IN BANDUNG

Abstract

Land scarcity and the high economic value of land in the city of Bandung have led to a housing shortage for low-income communities (MBR). This is evident in the backlog of housing demand totaling 145,592 units, which has resulted in an increasing number of slums due to informal land occupation in the city center. This study aims to evaluate existing strategic documents for public housing development and to design appropriate policy strategies to address the obstacles in both formal and informal housing programs, thereby fulfilling the basic right to adequate housing. The methodology employed is a mixed-methods approach, combining descriptive-quantitative methods to calculate estimated spatial needs and descriptive-qualitative analysis to assess the implementation of spatial planning policies. By combining empirical spatial data and anthropometric parameters for minimum human space requirements (9 m²/person), mathematical calculations indicate that meeting horizontal housing needs requires a change in urban land use covering 1,272.93 hectares. These findings underscore the importance of a shift in perspective so that policies focus on the provision of high-density apartment complexes. Empirical evaluations indicate that existing new supply has reached only 1,728 units due to private developers’ non-compliance with MBR quota mandates and the presence of local sociocultural resistance. Therefore, this study recommends formulating a master plan for housing governance through the updating of a regulatory multidimensional database to create mutually beneficial multisectoral solutions.