The Development of Social Cohesion in Public Housing

The Indonesian government in co-operation with PERUMNAS (Indonesian National Housing Corporation) has launched walk up apartments or flat housing as an alternative means of providing houses for low middle-income families. Unfortunately, this housing has been loosing its quality of environment. This phenomenon is also happening in the public flat housing in RUSUN Sukaramai Medan. The decreasing physical environment in flat housing has been worsened by social problems that exist in the neighbourhood. The limited private space and extensive usage of common facilities has tended to stimulate conflicts among tenants. This condition is more complicated since tenants of the flat housing come from a variety of backgrounds. Problems commonly have occurred due to the differences, which in turn disrupts the harmony of the neighbourhood and loosens community bonds. The concept of social cohesion deals with the rapid and radical changes which have been eroding the mechanisms that usually assure the maintenance of community bonds. Social cohesion in this respect helps to create a sense of belonging, trust, and security and encourages a situation that supports willingness to enhance living conditions which are needed to promote a stable, co-operative, and sustainable community. Identification of various factors influencing social cohesion in the social flat housing is necessary to enrich the concept itself as well as to better formulate public housing policy. By putting social cohesion into consideration, it develops a more comprehensive understanding about how investment in neighbourhoods and communities creates integration and cohesion especially when resources are limited. It is evident from the study that the level of social cohesion within each neighbourhood of the flat housing estate in RUSUN Sukaramai is significantly different. But it has given an early indication that various social and physical characteristics in each neighbourhood tend to influence social cohesion. Place attachment, functional social support, and civic activities are the social cohesion domains that are significantly different among neighbourhoods in the estate, while tolerance of diversity is likely to be indifferent among neighbourhoods. Aspects of physical environment in the housing estate give more influence to place attachment than to any other social cohesion domains. Several aspects such as like dwelling type, general housing conditions, neighbourhood infrastructure, home component, room size and quality of rooms are significantly positively associated with place attachment. It is also positively related with the neighbourhood condition in terms of peacefulness and safety. A high level of these two aspects is associated with a high level of place attachment. Conditions of inequality are reflected by job satisfaction and having financial difficulties also influences social cohesion in relation to place attachment. People who are more satisfied with their jobs and who are not having financial difficulties tend to have a high level of place attachment. In terms of social support, the kind of dwelling type and job satisfaction are significantly related to it. Residents in row flat housing tend to have more social support than in mushroom types of flats. The involvement of tenants in housing management increases social cohesion in relation to civic activities and tolerance of diversity. A high level of tolerance of diversity can also be achieved by minimizing the rate of victimization in the neighbourhoods, and also by improving tenants' occupation by engaging them more in the formal sector. Aspects of physical environment in the housing estate as well as neighbourhood conditions are not the only factors influencing social cohesion. It is quiet significant that the social conditions of the residents may also have an effect. It has been found within the study results that the level of education also plays a role in the relationships between place attachment and various aspects of housing conditions. Household types have a fair effect on the relationships between the tolerance of diversity and involvement in housing management.