The Ministry of Construction Seeks Clarification on Residents’ Protest for Social Housing Amidst the Rain

Deputy Minister of Construction, Nguyen Van Sinh, has sent an official dispatch to the Hanoi People’s Committee regarding the inspection of information reflected in Tien Phong Newspaper’s article, “People braved the rain to claim social housing.”

According to the Ministry of Construction, on February 25, Tien Phong Electronic Newspaper published an article titled “People braved the rain to claim social housing.” The content reflected that on February 25, dozens of customers who purchased apartments in the HH4 social housing building of the Dai Mo Urban Functional Area project (Dai Mo ward, Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi) invested and developed by Alaska Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company (Alaska Company for short) were frustrated and gathered at the Landmark Tower building on Le Duc Tho street, holding banners demanding their homes.

According to the customers, they signed apartment purchase contracts with the investor in 2020. As per the contract, the expected time for apartment handover was the second quarter of 2022. However, the investor failed to deliver the apartments to the people as promised. Up until now, the investor has missed the deadline for apartment handover three times.

“Based on Clause 15, Article 75 of Decree No. 100/2024/ND-CP dated September 24, 2024, of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Housing Law on development and management of social housing, the Ministry of Construction proposes that the Hanoi People’s Committee direct competent agencies to inspect and clarify the above-mentioned reflected content and report the results to the Ministry of Construction before March 30, 2025,” the document from the Ministry of Construction stated.

As previously reflected by Tien Phong, the HH4 Dai Mo social housing project (Nam Tu Liem district) has repeatedly missed the deadline for handing over houses as committed, causing dissatisfaction among the people, who held banners and braved the rain to demand their homes.

Mr. K. (Hanoi), a customer who purchased an apartment in the HH4 social housing project, shared that he signed a contract to buy an apartment from the investor in 2020. As per the contract, the expected time for apartment handover was the second quarter of 2022. However, the investor did not hand over the apartment to the people as promised. Up to now, the investor has missed the deadline for apartment handover three times.

According to Mr. K., at the end of 2022, the investor cited the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and financial difficulties as reasons for not being able to complete the project on schedule. Notably, after the customers showed their support and made advance payments of up to 100% of the apartment value, the investor still broke their promise and failed to deliver the apartments.

Most recently, in October 2024, to continue the project, the investor requested customers to pay the remaining 2% maintenance fee. For apartments that the investor had already handed over (with signed handover minutes, keys, and resident cards…), the investor allowed some apartments to be installed with furniture and prepared for occupation in early January 2025. However, even at that time, the investor did not allow people to move in.

“We are low-income earners, and it is only because of the government’s policy that we were able to buy social housing. We poured out all our savings, and even had to borrow money from relatives and family, to pay 102% to Alaska Company. Yet, after making multiple promises and collecting various fees from customers, Alaska Company still broke their promise and failed to deliver the apartments to the people,” Mr. K. expressed his frustration.