Social housing: When will it end on paper?

The housing needs of the people, especially officials, civil servants, laborers and low-income workers, are currently very urgent, but the progress of implementing social housing projects in Lam Dong is currently quite slow.

Perspective of social housing area for workers in Phu Hoi Industrial Park

Slow progress of investment and construction

According to the report of the Department of Construction, Lam Dong was assigned the target of building 4,865 social housing units, but the actual implementation has left many people disappointed. Up to now, the whole province has only completed 1,396 units and the possibility of completing by 2025 is only that number, equivalent to 29% of the initial target. This figure clearly shows that the progress of investment, construction and handover of social housing is taking place extremely slowly.

In the Da Lat urban area and neighboring communes and wards, one of the hot spots for housing demand, since 2021 up to now, only 99 social housing units have been completed and put into use, meeting only about 2% of the estimated demand, a very low rate.

The Southeast Lam Dong region is somewhat more promising with 3 social housing projects for low-income people being implemented (social housing infrastructure project in Tuyen Quang commune; social housing apartment complex in Binh Thuan ward; Phu Thinh social housing apartment complex), along with 3 projects in Ham Kiem 1, Ham Kiem 2 and Song Binh industrial parks (IPs), but the progress is very slow. Most notably, Phu Tai social housing apartment complex has completed 306 apartments and put into use.

However, the projects also encountered many difficulties. For example, the social housing area serving workers in Ham Kiem 1 Industrial Park with a scale of 1,216 apartments has only completed phase 1 including 399 townhouses. It is expected to complete 113 more apartments this year and 363 townhouses and 2 apartment buildings in September 2026. Meanwhile, the social housing area in Ham Kiem 2 Industrial Park (5,624 apartments) is still in the starting stage and the investor is still completing the implementation procedures for the social housing area in Song Binh Industrial Park (762 apartments). These data show the reality that, although there is a project, completion and handover is a long and thorny road.

Construction of Phu Thinh social housing residential area in Phan Thiet ward. Photo: Dinh Hoa

The barriers

Explaining this delay, at the meetings, the Department of Construction and experts pointed out that the problem does not lie in the lack of political will or policy orientation. In fact, the State has continuously emphasized social housing as an important pillar and Lam Dong has also actively issued many directives, resolutions, and action plans. However, the problem mostly lies in the implementation process and practical barriers.

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of land, planning problems and administrative procedures. In special urban areas like Da Lat, land planning is facing many difficulties and land funds are limited. For example, some social housing projects such as "Planning Area 5B" in Da Lat, although having a scale of 420 apartments, are stuck and are in the process of "locally adjusting the zoning plan to organize bidding to select investors". Many other areas are stuck with traffic infrastructure, and do not have clean and suitable land funds to attract investors.

Regarding financial resources and investment attraction, although the State Bank of Vietnam has implemented large credit packages (currently increased to 145,000 billion VND) for social housing, commercial banks are still hesitant to lend. Investors are also indifferent and uninterested despite many attractive incentives such as: land use fee exemption, tax reduction, preferential loans, 20% of land fund reserved for service business and guaranteed profit rate of 10%. Many experts believe that because administrative procedures are still too complicated, with potential risks, actual profits are not attractive enough to offset other costs and risks.

The feelings of low-income workers

This delay is not just a number on paper, but is directly affecting thousands of families. With current land and housing prices in Lam Dong, especially in Da Lat city, being very high, it has caused low-income workers, officials, civil servants and industrial park workers to fall into a precarious and unstable situation.

Ms. Ly Thu Linh - a young teacher at a kindergarten for special children in Xuan Huong ward - Da Lat shared: "The salary of kindergarten teachers is low, finding an affordable apartment in the central area of ​​Da Lat is very difficult now. We heard that the Government is promoting the construction of social housing for low-income people but we have been looking for a long time but cannot find it. The dream is to have a stable place for the couple to have children and stabilize their jobs, but the house and land prices here keep increasing rapidly, we do not know when we will be able to buy one."

Sharing the story of social housing, many young officials, civil servants, public employees and workers in industrial parks also confided that they are currently living far from home, renting cramped accommodation, and living conditions are very difficult. Many people just wish to have a small apartment so that their family does not have to live here and there and can feel secure in their work.

These stories are just a few pieces of the overall picture of housing concerns for thousands of people. Housing instability not only affects personal lives but also negatively impacts social stability and the ability to attract and retain human resources to serve the province's development.

Faced with these challenges, the Provincial People's Committee has also given strong directions, requiring departments, branches and localities to pay attention, be responsible and resolutely promote the development of social housing. The province has set a goal of focusing on removing administrative procedures, creating a more favorable investment environment, flexibly applying mechanisms and adjusting planning, prioritizing land funds for social housing to turn this policy into concrete actions and concrete results.

However, without “breakthrough solutions” to create strong changes, the province’s social housing goals will be difficult to achieve. And the dream of “settling down and making a living” will remain a distant aspiration for many people who are working and contributing in many fields to the development of a province that is already difficult, complex in terrain and has many limitations in traffic infrastructure like Lam Dong.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nha-o-xa-hoi-bao-gio-het-tren-giay-401699.html