Housing policy needs to target all social classes.

According to the 2014 Housing Law, there are 10 groups of people who are supported with social housing, such as people with revolutionary contributions, poor and near-poor households in rural areas, low-income people, officials, civil servants, households subject to land acquisition and clearance, etc.

In addition, the 2014 Housing Law also requires three other conditions to enjoy social housing policies.

Housing policy should affect every class in society picture 1 — Housing policy needs to target all social classes. (Photo: MD)

Firstly, not owning a house, not having bought, rented or leased to purchase social housing, not having enjoyed housing or land support policies in any form at the place of residence or study, or owning a house but the average housing area per capita in the household is lower than the minimum housing area (under 10m2/person).

Second, there must be permanent residence registration in the province or centrally-run city where the social housing is located; in case there is no permanent residence registration, there must be temporary residence registration for one year or more in this province or city (except for students).

Third, must be in the category of not having to pay regular income tax according to the provisions of the law on personal income tax.

Regarding the third condition, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nam, a member of the VARS Real Estate Market Research Working Group, said: Housing policies need to target all social classes.

"The regulations on beneficiaries of social housing policies need to be changed to be more appropriate. Social housing is not for sale to the rich, but should also target those with taxable income and savings, but cannot access commercial housing with high prices," Mr. Nam suggested.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Hoang Ngan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, said that workers who are subject to personal income tax should be allowed to buy social housing because currently, the income tax threshold is quite low, while they have to pay family deductions (wife and children), which should be commended in society.

Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Construction said that the Government is submitting to the 15th National Assembly a draft Law on Housing (amended) in the direction of reducing conditions when renting and buying social housing.

In particular, Article 75 and Article 90 of the draft state the conditions for enjoying social housing support policies; if renting social housing, it is not required to meet housing and income conditions.

In case of buying or renting social housing, only two conditions must be met: housing and income. In which, the income condition is that income from wages and salaries is not subject to income tax.

If renting accommodation for workers, only need a labor contract and confirmation from the business enterprise in the industrial park.

Source