Sustainable Livelihoods of Boarding House (Indekos) Entrepreneurs in Sleman Regency During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Sleman Regency, known as the Student City, is greatly affected by the mobility restriction policy which results in a gradual emptying process of boarding houses, so there is an urgency for regional studies regarding the impact of the pandemic on the livelihoods of boarding house business actors in Sleman Regency. In addition, there is no latest policy from the regency government to overcome the said impact other than the policy of implementing health protocols. Hence, the study focuses on the living conditions and livelihood strategies of boarding house entrepreneurs who are heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper aimed to look at two points of view, namely the bottom-up approach to see the affected objects related to changes in the livelihood strategies of boarding house entrepreneurs during the Covid-19 pandemic and the response of business actors in dealing with shock due to the pandemic; and the top-down approach to see the parties who have legal authority by conducting a critical study of the policies at the regency level related to boarding house business actors before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research found that there were changes in the assets and livelihood strategies of entrepreneurs which varied following the capacity of the boarding house entrepreneur. Whereas based on a top-down point of view; despite the change in social assistance policies in terms of the type of assistance, targets, and the amount of assistance provided before and during the Covid-19 pandemic; there is no social assistance that is directed specifically to boarding house business actors.