Social Workers in the Social Housing Assistance Sector: Building the Ideal Housing Policy Principles

Abstract

Indonesia has established a Self-Help Stimulant Assistance (SHSA) to help develop affordable housing in Low-Income Communities (LIC). SHSA funding is provided to selected LIC to independently build new housing and renovate un-inhabitable residential houses to bring them up to habitable standards and social workers have been key to the implementation of this program. This study uses two theoretical frameworks for effective housing policy (Schill & Wachter 2001, Hannigan & Wagner 2003) to explore the extent to which the SHSA was perceived by social workers to exhibit these qualities. To explore the role of social workers in the implementation of the SHSA, 25 qualitative interviews were completed with social workers working in LICs in Indonesia. Six themes from the theoretical framework were found to be important to the effective implementation of SHSA, including: 1. links to other social policies; 2. using production subsidies to overcome obstacles, 3. not adopting a one-size-fits-all model, 4. provides permanent affordability housing, 5. is comfortable, and 6. accessible and flexible service provision. The findings also highlight the importance of