This paper presents an application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in building consensus among experts on the choice of urban residential upgrading schemes in Jakarta, Indonesia. Questionnaires were administered to both international and Indonesian experts involved in residential upgrading in our study area. Given the goal of urban residential improvement, they were asked to weigh such alternatives as multi-storey housing (MS), single-detached housing (SD), and Kampung Improvement Program (KIP) based on such criteria as tenure, floor area, accessibility to work place, accessibility to transportation and lifestyle. It was found that accessibility to work place was the most important criterion while multi-storey housing was the single most preferred housing improvement scheme contrary to the popular program (KIP) promoted by international aid agencies.