70.3% of Families Now Live in Decent Housing, What About the Rest?

Jakarta, September 29, 2026 – Home is where everything in our lives begins. Behind its doors lies a place to rest, grow, and weave hopes for the future. According to the 2026 Housing Statistics released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS), 70.30% of families in Indonesia now have access to decent housing. This figure reflects a positive upward trend compared to 2025, which stood at 68.40%.

This increase is undoubtedly good news. When a family gains access to decent housing, the impact goes far beyond having a roof and walls overhead.

A Decent Home Opens Many Doors

Access to safe and healthy housing brings tangible changes to a family’s life. A decent home serves as the foundational stepping stone that opens up various opportunities:

• The Door to Better Health: Sturdy walls and hygienic sanitation break the chain of disease. Children grow up healthier, protected from skin irritations, digestive illnesses, and stunting.
• The Door to Education and the Future: Free from the anxiety of a leaking roof during heavy rains, children can study in peace, focus on reaching their dreams, and improve their quality of life.
• The Door to Economic Opportunities: When parents no longer expend their energy repairing a damaged house or worrying about their safety, they gain the mental space and time to earn a living, innovate, or even start small businesses.
• The Door to Safety and Dignity: A secure home protects families from extreme weather hazards and safety threats. Beyond that, decent housing restores every family member’s self-confidence and dignity within the community.

The Reality of Inequality: Millions Still Left Behind

Although national achievements show progress, we cannot turn a blind eye to the reality on the ground. The 70.30% figure is still shadowed by significant regional disparities.

At the provincial level, the percentage of families with access to decent housing ranges from 7.30% to 89.13%. Highland Papua records the lowest achievement, where only 7.30% of families enjoy decent housing. This means that fewer than one in ten families in the province live in a residence that meets basic standards.

It is crucial to understand that “decent housing” is not merely about having a standing physical structure. BPS defines four main pillars that must be met simultaneously for a home to be categorized as decent:

1. Structural Durability (safe and sturdy roofs, walls, and floors).
2. Sufficient Per Capita Floor Area (adequate living space for each family member).
3. Access to Decent Drinking Water (clean and safe water sources for consumption).
4. Decent Sanitation (hygienic toilet and waste disposal facilities).

Why Do So Many Families Still Struggle?

Securing decent housing is no easy feat, particularly for low-income households. Several major challenges trap them in a cycle of inadequate living conditions:

• Limited Income: The majority of low-income families’ earnings are spent covering daily basic needs such as food, leaving no surplus funds to save, let alone build a house.
• Rising Land and Material Costs: Property, land, and building material prices escalate at a rate far outstripping average annual household income growth.
• Difficulties Accessing Financing: Housing finance schemes from formal financial institutions often fail to reach informal sector workers with irregular incomes.
• Land Constraints in Urban Areas: Rapidly increasing population density makes land availability scarce and prices unaffordable.
• Remote Locations of Affordable Housing: Many affordable housing options are situated far from economic hubs or workplaces, adding to families’ daily transportation expenses.

#OpenTheDoor: Let’s Open the Door of Hope Together

Indonesia’s housing challenges cannot be resolved solely by erecting new buildings. Upgrading existing home quality, providing clean water, and ensuring equitable sanitation are crucial steps to ensuring that every family, without exception, can enjoy a prosperous life.

Through the #OpenTheDoor campaign, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia invites youth, communities, and individuals alike to take an active role. We can all be part of this change by advocating for the importance of decent housing for every family in Indonesia.

Because when we open the door to a decent home, we do not just provide shelter—we open the door to health, education, and a better future.

How can you help today?

1. Share this article on your social media to raise awareness.
2. Amplify the #OpenTheDoor campaign so more people realize that great change always starts at home.

Let’s take action together. Your small step today is the key to opening the door to a brighter future for families in need.

Writer: Kevin Herbian

(kh/av)