Pathways to Shelter: Empowering Families with Housing Solutions

Partnering with families and government to expand housing access for the most vulnerable in Sragen

Location

Sragen District, Central Java, Indonesia

Sragen is the poorest district in the Solo Raya region, where more than 110,650 people, or about 12% of the population, live below the poverty line. It is also among the eight poorest regions in Indonesia, with a poverty rate that exceeds the national average.

Thousands of low-income families reside in inadequate and unsafe housing conditions, and the burden is especially severe for female-headed households and families with disabilities, many of whom remain trapped in the housing backlog.

Challenges

In Sragen District, 13,945 of the lowest-income families continue to live in inadequate housing, and an additional 2,793 families urgently require new homes due to the growing housing backlog. Among them are 3,229 female-headed households and 1,912 families with members living with disabilities — groups that are disproportionately affected by unsafe living conditions and are least able to access support.

While the government’s Three Million Houses initiative, including the Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS) scheme, seeks to address housing needs, the poorest families remain excluded. Current subsidies cover only about half of construction costs, leaving families who earn approximately US$1.10 per day unable to meet the required co‑financing contribution. This gap prevents the most marginalized households from improving their living conditions and keeps them trapped in cycles of poverty and insecurity.

Solution

This project will help vulnerable families in Sragen access safe and inclusive housing by complementing the government’s housing subsidy program through a collaborative match-funding approach.

Habitat Indonesia will match the current government subsidy of IDR20 million, US$1,250, with an additional IDR20 million, allowing low-income families, particularly female-headed households and families with members with disabilities, to build homes without financial contributions, contributing instead through sweat equity. Funds will be coordinated with the government so families can access materials without upfront costs, enabling full participation in the BSPS program.

Our approach:

  • Identify and verify eligible households in collaboration with the government, using needs-based assessments that prioritize low-income families, female-headed households and families with disabilities, ensuring transparency and community input.
  • Publicly post verified beneficiary lists for community review and feedback, reinforcing accountability and fairness.
  • Engage families in planning, designing and supervising construction, with technical guidance from Habitat and government facilitators. Families will design homes that meet their specific needs, including accessibility features such as ramps, wider doorways and handrails where required.
  • Ensure homes are safe, accessible and inclusive, incorporating disaster-resilient features and designs that meet the needs of female-headed households and families with disabilities.
  • Provide Building Back Safer Basic Construction training and encourage family participation through construction, material reuse and/or community cooperation.
  • Conduct advocacy workshops and awareness campaigns to promote inclusive housing and foster long-term collaboration between communities, government and the private sector.

Timescale: The project will be completed within 8 months.
 

Results and benefits

The project will help 101 families access safe and inclusive homes, directly improving the living conditions of around 505 individuals.

These families will be able to live in decent housing through a collaborative match-funding program between Habitat Indonesia and the government, removing financial barriers that previously excluded them

130 individuals, including partner families and local laborers, will participate in Build Back Safer training. Their skills and knowledge will indirectly benefit 650 community members.

Advocacy workshops and awareness campaigns will engage around 3,000 people, directly reaching 50 individuals and promoting inclusive housing practices and people–public–private partnership models.

These interventions will strengthen local housing policies, governance systems and financing mechanisms, ensuring that support reaches the most vulnerable households while building long-term community resilience.
 

Long-term impact

The project will enable vulnerable families in Sragen to live safely and independently in decent, inclusive homes that reflect their input and needs.

Female-headed households and families with members with disabilities will benefit from home designs tailored for accessibility and safety. Skills gained through Build Back Safer training and active participation in construction will strengthen household and local labor capacity, supporting future building and maintenance. Through sustained collaboration with the government, reinforced by advocacy workshops and public awareness campaigns, inclusive housing practices and match-funding models can be embedded into public systems, ensuring long-term housing access for the most vulnerable.

Over time, these measures will foster resilient, equitable, and empowered communities, with sustainable housing support and strengthened social and institutional systems.

Co-funding

The total budget for this 8-month project is US$200,000. Habitat for Humanity has already pledged up to US$40,000 in seed money. Our team in Indonesia needs an additional US$160,000 in co-funding.

Contact us at [email protected] to learn more or arrange a video call.

Scale-up

If further co-funding is available, this project could extend its impact, enabling more low-income families in Sragen to access safe, disaster-resilient homes and participate in skills training and community-led construction. Please get in touch to request a detailed proposal.

  • A woman smiles as she sits across from a colleague.

    When you co-fund a project, you help transform lives. By building housing, we build beyond the physical homes: adequate living conditions have a powerful impact on the livelihoods, health, education and more of households and communities.