The Storm’s Aftermath: Hải Phòng Shuts Down 41 Old Apartments, Prioritizing Resident Safety and Relocation Assistance.

To ensure the safety and security of its residents, Hai Phong City has decided to relocate citizens from these apartment buildings to safer accommodations; simultaneously, the city is providing support to help residents find new homes and stabilize their lives.

Ms. Trinh Thi Hong, a resident of apartment 35 on the 5th floor of Van My A7 (in Van My Ward, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City), had to evacuate with other residents before the arrival of Storm No. 3. Their building, Van My A7, was already in a state of disrepair and no longer safe. They were temporarily relocated to Sao Sang Kindergarten in the same ward.

Due to the impact of Storm No. 3, the already dilapidated Van My A7 apartment building is now tilting and at risk of collapse at any moment. Several other apartment buildings in Van My Ward are also in dangerous conditions… Therefore, after evacuating for the storm, the residents could not return to their old homes. Ms. Hong’s family and about 100 households from the Van My apartment complex are currently taking temporary refuge at the Dong Quoc Binh HH1-HH2 and HH3-HH4 apartments in Ngo Quyen District.

“After the storm, the local authorities took care of our meals and accommodation. We are grateful for their help during this difficult time,” said Ms. Hong, who is in her 70s. “Our old home is at risk of collapsing, which is why we had to move here. We’ve been taking refuge here since the other day, and we hope that the authorities and relevant agencies will support us in moving our belongings,” she added.

According to the Hai Phong Department of Construction, there are 205 apartment buildings in the city, 97 of which are dilapidated and dangerous (grade D). So far, the city has demolished 22 old and hazardous grade D apartments and constructed new ones. Of the remaining 75 grade D apartments, 41 are still inhabited by approximately 2,600 people. Some other grade D apartments are in the process of being prepared for demolition or are currently being demolished.

According to the assessment of consulting and evaluating units, the apartment buildings in Van My Ward (Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong) have a damage rate of between 65% and 86% to their primary structure. For the remaining grade D apartments, the damage rate to the primary structure is over 65%; they are no longer safe for habitation.

Dr. Vu Thanh Trung, Director of the Structural Center, Institute of Science and Technology, Ministry of Construction, said: “The apartment buildings in Hai Phong were built a long time ago. Currently, they can only withstand vertical loads, and even that is dangerous. They cannot withstand horizontal loads and may collapse at any time. The first priority is to evacuate the residents because the buildings cannot ensure safety in terms of load-bearing capacity. From my experience, I know that many similar areas in Hanoi have had to be forcibly evacuated and relocated.”

To ensure the safety of the residents, Hai Phong City has decided to discontinue the use of 41 old and hazardous grade D apartments. Simultaneously, the city has instructed the Department of Construction to urgently repair grade B and C apartments affected by Storm No. 3.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Director of the Hai Phong Department of Construction, said: “We have conducted a review and found that there are about 1,000 vacant apartments in the city’s apartment fund. Relocating all residents from dangerous grade D apartments to temporary accommodations is our top priority to protect their lives, safety, and health.”

“The city has decided to utilize all remaining apartment funds to relocate the residents. We are expediting the process of moving 500 households to Dong Quoc Binh HH1, HH2, HH3, and HH4. The remaining 500 apartments will be used to accommodate more households, mainly in Ngo Quyen and Le Chan districts. Our goal is to get people into their new homes as soon as possible, ensuring better and safer conditions than their old homes, with improved amenities,” said Mr. Hung.

For now, the Hai Phong Department of Construction is coordinating with local authorities to urgently relocate 330 households from dangerous old apartments in Ngo Quyen and Hong Bang districts to safer accommodations. Subsequently, they will continue with the necessary procedures to relocate the remaining residents from grade D apartments.

For households that cannot be accommodated due to the city’s full housing fund, Hai Phong City will provide temporary financial support of 3 million VND per household per month, for a period of 2 years. After this period, these households will receive support and compensation for relocation to purchase or rent houses or social housing according to the city’s social housing development project.