Social housing: Untangling knots, opening up opportunities for secure housing.

With determination from the central government to local authorities, social housing is being identified as one of the key development directions in the coming period.

Social housing is a necessary need for low-income individuals and workers employed in industrial zones.

The Prime Minister's issuance of Decision No. 444/QD-TTg assigning targets for completing social housing in 2025 and subsequent years up to 2030, for localities to incorporate into their socio-economic development targets, clearly demonstrates a strong policy in the national social security and socio-economic development strategy.

The numbers speak for themselves.

According to the latest report from the Ministry of Construction , in the past two years, the whole country has seen the implementation of 686 social housing projects with a scale of 627,651 units; 117 projects have been completed or partially completed with a scale of 85,275 units; 159 projects have commenced construction with a scale of 135,563 units; and 419 projects have received investment approval with a scale of 419,013 units.

For example, in Vinh Phuc province, eight social housing projects with 2,082 houses, equivalent to approximately 109,000 m² of ^floor space, have been put into use, creating a fund of affordable housing for workers and low-income earners, bringing high social benefits. A representative from the Provincial Department of Construction stated that the locality considers this a major policy, linked to sustainable development, population stability, and socio-economic promotion.

According to Mr. Nguyen Le Dien Ngoc, Head of the Housing Management, Urban Development and Construction Materials Department of the Vinh Phuc Provincial Department of Construction, the province has 17 industrial zones; of which 9 industrial zones are already operational with over 260,000 workers, therefore the demand for social housing is very high.

Mr. Ngoc stated that, according to the Prime Minister's approved plan to build at least one million social housing units, Vinh Phuc province must complete 28,300 units by 2030. Therefore, the province has consistently prioritized the development of social housing. Since the beginning of the year, the province has commenced construction on three social housing projects and aims to start one social housing project each month by August.

Social housing projects have contributed to changing the lives of tens of thousands of families. Mr. and Mrs. Tran Van Tan (from Vinh Phuc province) also achieved a more stable life thanks to purchasing an apartment on installments at the Bao Quan social housing complex in Vinh Yen city. "We hope the government will continue to have supportive policies so that more workers like us can access social housing," Mr. Tan said.

From the business perspective, the policy of developing social housing is also considered appropriate and creates favorable conditions. Mr. Cao Tien Thang, Director of Than Ha Trading and Construction Co., Ltd. (Vinh Phuc), said that the policy is gradually removing obstacles, creating motivation for investors to participate in this segment. "We consider this a long-term direction, bringing both economic benefits and contributing to the government's social welfare policy," Mr. Thang emphasized.

Despite achieving many results, the implementation of social housing projects still faces many challenges. In Vinh Phuc, the three main reasons for delays in many projects include: obstacles in land compensation and clearance; a sluggish real estate market; and overlapping legal regulations related to the Land Law, Investment Law, and Construction Law.

"The process from the approval of the policy to the official handover of land can take up to 5 years, wasting land resources and business assets," Mr. Thang said.

Another prominent issue is the investor selection mechanism; the current bidding process is causing many social housing projects to be unnecessarily prolonged. According to a proposal from the Vinh Phuc Provincial Department of Construction, designating investors based on their capacity and suitability with the planning could shorten the procedure by up to 200 days. “Designating investors not only shortens administrative procedures but also facilitates the acceleration of social housing projects, promptly meeting the housing needs of workers, civil servants, and public employees nationwide,” emphasized Mr. Nguyen Le Dien Ngoc.

In fact, the government has been giving strong directives, and many localities and businesses have also adjusted their strategies, considering social housing as a key segment in 2025. However, for the policy to truly take effect, more comprehensive, decisive, and effective solutions are needed, ranging from removing legal obstacles and reforming administrative procedures to prioritizing the selection of capable investors.

The barriers have been removed.

In the context of increasing demand for social housing, especially in large cities and industrial zones, the National Assembly has passed Resolution No. 201/2025/QH15 on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies to promote the development of social housing. This is considered an important step in institutionalizing the major policy of the Party and the State, while also resolving many long-standing "bottlenecks" in the field of housing for low-income people.

On the very day Resolution 201 came into effect, the Government issued Resolution No. 155/NQ-CP to concretize and organize the implementation of the mechanisms and policies in Resolution 201. This is clear evidence of the Government's decisive leadership and timely action, ensuring synchronized involvement from the central to local levels.

Immediately after the Resolution was passed, localities quickly developed implementation plans. In Vinh Phuc province, the Department of Construction stated that it had begun reviewing land resources, prioritizing investment in infrastructure, and calling on businesses to participate in projects under the new mechanism.

Positive signals also came from the business side. Mr. Cao Tien Thang said that the pilot mechanism helped businesses feel more secure when investing because the processes and procedures were shortened, clearer, and more efficient.

Resolution 201/2025/QH15 is expected to become a crucial "lever" for effectively achieving the goal of building at least 1 million social housing units by 2030. However, to ensure the Resolution's effectiveness, many experts believe that it is necessary to ensure uniformity in implementation guidelines, strict supervision, and transparency in the selection of investors.

At the conference to implement Resolution 201/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for the development of social housing and reviewing the situation of social housing development in the first five months of the year, and the plan for implementation in the remaining months of 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh clearly stated: "The institutions, mechanisms, and policies have been gradually perfected; we must organize effective implementation with the goal of completing at least 100,000 units this year and at least 1 million units by 2030."

The National Assembly's issuance of Resolution 201 and the Government's swift implementation through Resolution 155 clearly demonstrate the political determination to address one of the most pressing social issues today. This is the first time that social housing policy has been placed within a specific, synchronized mechanism from the legislative to the executive levels, a positive signal that has long been awaited by the people and businesses.

According to baotintuc.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nha-o-xa-hoi-go-nut-that-mo-an-cu-post403860.html