This information was shared by Mr. Ha Quang Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Housing and Real Estate Market Management (Ministry of Construction), at the workshop “Solutions to Accelerate Social Housing Construction” on May 28.
Establishment of the National Housing Fund
This is one of the new points in the draft resolution of the National Assembly on piloting mechanisms and policies for social housing development, expected to be considered and voted on by the National Assembly in the afternoon of May 29.
According to Mr. Hung, after the rearrangement of administrative units, the distance from one end of the province to the other can be much longer. Many officials and workers have to commute 100-200km from their residence to their workplace. Meanwhile, a portion of rural workers, working in distant urban areas, wish to purchase or rent social housing but do not meet the current requirements.
After the provincial merger, many people who previously qualified to buy social housing no longer meet the criteria, even though their actual needs remain unchanged.
“The draft proposes a solution for cases where people already own a house, but depending on the distance and travel time to the workplace, the provincial People’s Committee will specify the conditions for social housing eligibility. The distance may vary from 15-20km to 30-50km, depending on the locality’s regulations,” said Mr. Hung.
Workshop on “Solutions to Accelerate Social Housing Construction”, May 28. Photo: Hai Nguyen |
Additionally, Mr. Hung mentioned that in the future, the National Housing Fund will be established – a non-budget financial fund operating on a non-profit basis, consisting of central and local levels. The fund’s capital will come from the state budget, voluntary contributions from organizations and individuals, and proceeds from house sales…
“The purpose of the fund is to invest in and create a social housing fund for rent, providing opportunities for more people to access and benefit from this type of housing,” said Mr. Hung.
Regarding the construction of trade union facilities in Hanoi and some other localities, Mr. Le Van Nghia, Head of the Trade Union Facility Project Management Board (Vietnam General Confederation of Labour), shared that the Confederation has sent a document to the Hanoi People’s Committee requesting land allocation for the construction of housing for workers and employees.
“The plan for the trade union facility in Hanoi is expected to be implemented in the 2026-2030 period. In Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, the Confederation plans to commence the construction of two facilities in the fourth quarter of 2025, with approximately 1,100 apartments and a projected rent of VND 1-3 million per month depending on the size and location of the apartment,” informed Mr. Nghia.
Beware of Scams Involving “Middlemen” in Social Housing
At the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Van Son, a worker at Urenco, expressed the concerns of many workers who don’t know where to register for social housing and have even been scammed when trying to purchase through “middlemen”. Workers wish for clear guidance to be able to buy directly from the developers.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Pham Cong Doan, Deputy General Director of Arita Corporation (the implementer of several social housing projects), emphasized that the approval process for social housing purchase has strict criteria as it is intended for policy beneficiaries. Workers should contact the developers or Project Management Boards directly for guidance and have their applications verified by authorized agencies.
Mr. Doan advised: “People should never purchase through any intermediaries or middlemen to avoid risks and protect their legal rights.”
The leader of Arita Corporation also pointed out a significant bottleneck in verifying the income of freelancers.
“According to regulations, to be eligible to buy social housing, the income of either the husband or wife must be below VND 15 million per month. However, income verification depends on the local authorities, specifically the People’s Committee of the commune, ward, or town of residence. For freelancers, this is almost impossible. Many people are denied confirmation because the locality has no basis for controlling their income,” said Mr. Doan.
He suggested that management agencies need to come up with solutions to overcome this difficulty and ensure that social housing policies reach the right beneficiaries.
Hong Khanh
– 06:00 29/05/2025
“Local Authorities to Determine Eligibility Criteria for Social Housing Purchase and Rent-to-Buy Schemes.”
The legislature has recently passed a resolution to pilot several special policies to promote the development of social housing. This move empowers local governments to establish practical criteria for approving individuals to purchase or rent-to-own social housing.
“Scrapping the Proposal for Civil Servants to Live 30km Away from Work to Be Eligible for Public Housing”
The government proposes that instead of mandating a 30km distance criterion for civil servants to be eligible for social housing, the decision should be left to the provincial People’s Committees. This proposal takes into account the varying local conditions and empowers local authorities to make detailed regulations.
The Latest Regulations on Sales Prices and Beneficiaries of Social Housing Policies
The determination of sales and leasing prices for social housing is undertaken for one or multiple constructions within a social housing development project. This process is undertaken in phases, considering the investment stages and either individual components or the entirety of the project.
‘The Dark Side of Social Housing: How ‘Cò’ Profiteers are Distorting the Market’
“There is a persistent presence of brokers in the social housing sector, taking advantage of the high demand for such housing and creating a chaotic market with their resale practices. Mr. Nguyen Van Khoi, Chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, highlights how these practices cause significant distress for legitimate buyers seeking social housing.”
A “Green Lane” Mechanism for Reputable Social Housing Investors
“This was shared by Colonel Pham Doan Tien, Director of the Investment Project Management Board of Corporation 319, under the Ministry of Defense, at a seminar on “Making Social Housing Dreams Come True” hosted by Tien Phong Newspaper.”
