The government of Indonesia pursued a slum-upgrading programme from 2011 to 2018 which included replacing ‘helicopter latrines’ with shared improved latrines. However, these latrines have not been fully utilised by slum dwellers yet. This study aimed to construct a model of behaviour change to urge people to switch from using helicopter latrines to using shared improved latrines through the process of community empowerment. A qualitative research method was conducted. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were deployed to select study participants. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions. The results showed that the challenge in improving communities' sanitation behaviour can be answered with a bottom-up approach that integrates tangible and intangible elements. These elements have the dimensions of form, meaning and activity. Form is a tangible element namely shared improved latrine building that is physically acceptable to the community. Meaning and activity are intangible elements. Meaning involves the cognitive aspects to create a sense of ownership and action from affective aspects involves the activity of using the latrines. To improve the sanitation conditions, governments should involve the community in every activity, empower the community through education campaigns, and conduct supervision until the community can be independent.

Sustainable development is a challenge in urban development, especially in a slum area. Management of slum is not optimal, and several slums become slums again after upgrading due to the absence of environmental management, such as Mojosongo Housing, Surakarta City, Indonesia. This article aims to create policy recommendations for environmental quality improvement in slum. The research uses a quantitative method. Secondary data were obtained from related agencies regarding environmental conditions, population data, and policies related to slum management. Primary data was collected via observation and questionnaires to 30 respondents, consisting of natives and immigrants in Mojosongo Housing. The analysis technique uses a comparative analysis of data and literature review. The results show that social and economic aspects have been proven to cause a decrease in environmental quality. The challenge of slum management in strategic areas to be sustainable is via community empowerment of social and economic aspects of livelihoods. In addition, supervision and control of development for the public interest are recommended to be more effective by applying police power (an instrument of zoning regulation) and a taxation mechanism.

One program in sanitation improvement is the construction of public toilets in coastal slums located in Demaan, Jepara Regency. The public toilets construction is a substitute for the helicopter latrines above the sea. However, most of public toilets still cannot be beneficial to the community, because there are many obstacles in its management. The purpose of this study is to examine the form of public toilet management in coastal slums with smart community approach in Demaan. The research approach uses qualitative methods. Data collection techniques are done by observation and in-depth interviews. Sampling technique using snowball method. The informants are the community who is user of public toilets, public toilet management institutions and government agencies related to the construction of public toilets. Data analysis using qualitative descriptive method and Engagement-Participation-Empowerment method. Based on the analysis result, community empowerment include establishing public toilet management institutions along with regulations and financial management, as well as developing economic values and the benefits of public toilets by adding other potential functions/activities accompanied by the use of information technology in the form of the internet. Smart communities for the development and management of public toilets can be achived if smart people have succeeded according to their ability, openness, thinking, flexibility and creativity in utilizing proper toilets.