Built in the 1950s to accommodate civil servants and workers, the wooden housing complexes in Chuong Duong Ward (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) have now deteriorated and pose numerous hazards.
The dark and dilapidated interior of the wooden housing complex makes life very inconvenient for residents.
The apartments are divided by flimsy wooden partitions or bamboo-reinforced walls.
There are a total of seven houses in close proximity, all with identical architecture featuring two tiled roofs and divided into 24 sections, mostly made of wood. Half a century later, the architectural integrity of these structures has been compromised, causing them to become rickety.
Despite being reinforced with iron, the wooden staircase creaks and groans under the weight of time.
According to residents, their homes are perpetually dark, both day and night.
The hallways are cluttered with electrical equipment, cables, and wires, posing safety hazards.
Each apartment measures between 10 and 25 square meters and lacks its own bathroom or separate utility facilities.
The cramped living spaces feature flammable walls and partitions.
Recently, the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee implemented a project to acquire houses and land from residents in the No. 10 wooden housing complex in Chuong Duong Ward. This project involves relocating residents from wooden houses No. 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, and 17 in Chuong Duong Ward and constructing the Mat Troi Be Tho Kindergarten.
Mr. Pham Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the Chuong Duong Ward People’s Committee, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, stated that in accordance with Decision 4608 approved by the Hanoi City People’s Committee, since 2023, four wooden houses have been relocated: No. 7, 8, 9. Currently, wooden house No. 10 is being dismantled and removed. As for wooden house No. 17, the ward has developed a compensation plan for the residents. In the coming months, detailed compensation arrangements will be announced to the residents in order to commence the project.
“The local government strongly desires to clear out all of these wooden housing complexes. The remaining three wooden housing complexes will hopefully be relocated soon,” said the Vice Chairman of the Chuong Duong Ward People’s Committee.
