Support for public housing and lodging for officials, civil servants and public employees after the merger

After merging commune-level administrative units, many cadres, civil servants and public employees changed their workplaces, while their houses were far from their workplaces, making it difficult to travel and live. To overcome difficulties and obstacles, the People's Committee of Son La province issued a decision regulating that people who own houses but are far from their workplaces are entitled to social housing support policies, support for public housing and accommodation.

Báo Sơn La•14/08/2025

On July 11, 2025, the Department of Construction issued an official dispatch requesting the People's Committees of communes and wards to coordinate in reporting surplus headquarters in the management area, to serve the need to arrange accommodation for officials. By August 4, 65 communes and wards had reported, with 104 surplus works, including: 41 level IV houses, prefabricated houses, 1-storey houses; 63 level III works with 2 floors or more. Of which, there are 29 works proposed by the People's Committees at the commune level to be handed over to the commune level for continued exploitation and use.

Mr. Cam Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, said: Based on the review of the need for public housing and accommodation for officials and civil servants, on July 31, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 77/2025/QD-UBND on the case of people who own houses but are far from their workplace and are entitled to social housing support policies in the province, effective from August 1, 2025. Accordingly, people who own houses but are 30 km or more away from their workplace along the shortest road route will be entitled to social housing support policies. In case a person owns two or more houses, the distance from his/her own house to the workplace is determined according to the house closest to the workplace and ensures a minimum distance of 30 km.

The new policy brings joy to many officials, civil servants, and public employees whose offices are far from home. Currently, many people have to work far away, cannot go home during the day, have to rent a room or stay temporarily in dormitories of schools or medical stations.

Mr. Ca Van Toi, Vice Chairman of Nam Lau Commune People's Committee, and Director of the Commune Public Administration Service Center, said: Every day, I travel 25 km from my home to the office, but the commune does not have a public house. Many commune officials also have to take a lunch break in their offices, and are looking forward to being arranged a place to stay to ensure their health and work.

Mr. Cam Bun Loc, Chairman of Nam Lau Commune People's Committee, informed: The commune currently has 60 officials and civil servants, all transferred from the province and other communes. Due to insufficient space in the office, the Commune People's Committee had to arrange it in two locations 8 km apart. The budget allocated by the province prioritizes repairing and renovating the office to reduce dispersion, take advantage of existing infrastructure, and improve coordination efficiency. Temporary accommodation for officials who are borrowing the school's official house, and resting at noon in the office.

Muong Chien Commune is renovating the old Agricultural Extension Station to put it into service as a lodging house for officials and civil servants.

In Muong Chien commune, after the merger, there are 42 cadres and civil servants, of which 35 people need accommodation. Mr. Dieu Chinh Hai, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: For now, we will borrow rooms from schools to arrange accommodation for cadres. At the same time, we will renovate the headquarters of the Agricultural Extension Station, expected to be put into service as accommodation for cadres, civil servants and public employees by the end of August 2025.

Mr. Nguyen Van Huong, a civil servant at the Office of the People's Council and People's Committee of Muong Chien Commune, shared: My house is 42 km from the office, it takes nearly 1 hour in the dry season and more in the rainy season. The workload is heavy, so I rent a boarding house near the office to reduce travel time.

Through review, the number of commune-level cadres, civil servants, and workers in need of official housing and accommodation is about 1,691 people. Many localities do not have official housing or accommodation facilities for cadres and civil servants. To overcome this, many communes have to temporarily borrow classrooms and medical stations to serve as resting places for cadres, civil servants, and public employees. Long distance travel and poor accommodation conditions affect health and work efficiency.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, informed: The Department has proposed the Department of Finance to have a plan to convert the functions of redundant works and headquarters to ensure the needs of use and suit the actual situation of each commune. Request the People's Committees of communes and wards to continue to review redundant works and headquarters in the management area, send reports to the Department of Construction for synthesis.

On July 16, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1804/QD-UBND approving the sample design documents of commune-level works in Son La province. In particular, the sample of public housing has 2 models including: 1-storey residential house built and 1-storey residential house assembled with steel frame. The Decision also stipulates the sample kitchen, dining room, and shared toilet models. The Department of Construction has publicly announced the sample design documents on the Department's electronic information page; handed over the sample design documents to the People's Committees of communes and wards for management and implementation.

Arranging official housing, means of work and travel for officials, civil servants and public employees is necessary to ensure health and peace of mind at work. During the implementation process, it is necessary to survey actual needs, ensure support for the right subjects, and avoid waste.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/ho-tro-nha-o-cong-vu-nha-luu-tru-cho-can-bo-cong-chuc-vien-chuc-sau-sap-nhap-OnQ2wYlHR.html