Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha: Establishing a National Housing Fund is truly feasible, flexible, and linked to actual needs.

Phó Thủ tướng Trần Hồng Hà phát biểu chỉ đạo. (Ảnh: Văn Điệp/TTXVN)

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha gives a directive speech. (Photo: Van Diep/VNA)

"The establishment and organization of the National Housing Fund is an urgent task with great pressure, but it must be implemented in the next few years, ensuring real feasibility, linked to actual needs, having a flexible management mechanism and avoiding waste" - This is the request of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha at the meeting to listen to the report on the draft Decree on the establishment and organization of the National Housing Fund and measures to implement Resolution No. 201/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for social housing development, which took place on the morning of September 25 at the Government Headquarters.

* "Avoid formality"

Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the ability to access housing for workers is still very difficult. Even when completing the Project "Investing in the construction of at least 1 million social housing apartments for low-income people and industrial park workers in the period 2021-2030", it will only meet a small part of the demand. Therefore, implementing the housing rental policy is practical and suitable for reality.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the National Housing Fund is not only about creating housing, from purchasing social housing and commercial housing, but also about investing in building social housing, technical infrastructure and social infrastructure, so it is necessary to carefully and systematically study the operating mechanism, "avoiding formality".

The National Housing Fund must separate the housing fund and financial funds at both the central and local levels; have a mechanism to attract and mobilize capital, and reasonably allocate resources; and at the same time ensure close coordination between the central and local levels.

Regarding the management model, the Deputy Prime Minister said that it is not necessary to set up a new apparatus, but can be assigned to existing institutions such as housing development investment funds in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; at the same time, encourage organizations such as the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor or reputable enterprises to participate in building rental housing.

Noting the management mechanism to attract high-quality human resources with the capacity to manage capital of thousands of billions of VND, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that there needs to be a strict and effective management mechanism, avoiding operating according to a rigid career model.

Besides, capital for the fund can come from many channels, but must be clearly regulated, operated flexibly, and have revolving capital to avoid building houses but having no tenants, leading to waste.

"Housing funds must be included in urban planning, have synchronous infrastructure, appropriate rental prices, and be considered long-term public assets. Construction and management can be assigned to large state-owned enterprises or the General Confederation of Labor for worker housing and dormitory projects, according to the principle of 'whoever is assigned, that person is responsible and when the construction is completed, there must be tenants'," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

* Adjusting the structure of real estate goods

Previously, reporting at the meeting, a representative of the Ministry of Construction said that the draft Decree aims to promote the development of social housing, helping low-income people have the opportunity to access suitable housing, associated with the completion of the goal of implementing the Project "Investing in the construction of at least 1 million social housing apartments for low-income people and industrial park workers in the period 2021-2030".

The National Housing Fund will contribute to balancing supply and demand, adjusting the structure of real estate products, thereby reducing the cost of the commercial housing segment, helping the real estate market develop more stably and healthily; creating long-term, sustainable resources for housing development.

The drafting of the Decree ensures that it correctly regulates the assigned contents in Resolution No. 201/2025/QH15, complies with the authority, form, order and procedures for developing and promulgating legal documents; ensures feasibility, economy and efficiency; promotes decentralization and delegation of power; has the inheritance, stability and development of the legal system on housing; and limits the emergence of administrative procedures.

The Draft Decree regulates the establishment, legal status and operation of the National Housing Fund under the model of a public service unit, including the Central Housing Fund and the Local Housing Fund. The Fund's objectives and functions are to invest in the construction and creation of housing for rent according to regulations.

The operating capital of the Central Housing Fund is formed from the state budget, receiving voluntary support, contributions from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals and other legally mobilized sources.

The draft Decree has fully delegated authority to localities in establishing, deciding on the ratio of money and initial charter capital, and additional charter capital to the local housing fund. The fund directly manages and operates housing or hires a management and operation unit.

* Ensure local flexibility

At the meeting, clarifying some contents of the draft Decree, Deputy Minister of Finance Do Thanh Trung said that the Decree was developed to implement the pilot policy according to Resolution No. 201/2025/QH15, which determined that the National Housing Fund only serves rental purposes, operates non-profitably, has legal status and is an extra-budgetary financial fund. The Fund is not allowed to spend on tasks that have been guaranteed by the budget. The State will provide initial charter capital, then mobilize more from many other sources such as local, sponsor and related projects.

Regarding the organizational model, the leaders of the Ministry of Finance believe that public service units are the most suitable in current conditions, thanks to a clear legal framework, the ability to implement smoothly, and both ensuring budget support and creating cash flow from leasing for reinvestment.

The Ministry of Finance proposed that the Decree should ensure flexibility for localities, avoid rigidly applying a single model, and at the same time limit the creation of additional administrative apparatus.

Sharing the operational experience of the Ho Chi Minh City Housing Fund over the past 20 years, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong proposed supplementing resources from the surplus resettlement housing fund, giving localities flexible rights in capital mobilization, asset use and implementation of specific housing policies.

At the meeting, representatives of several ministries, branches and localities said that the Drafting Agency needs to continue clarifying the organization and operation model of the National Housing Fund, the scope of application for the Central Fund and Local Funds; supplementing the Management Council mechanism; clearly regulating capital management, distinguishing the purpose of support sources; specifying the legal mechanism on land allocation and procedures for transferring social housing to ensure feasibility and transparency in implementation...

Source: https://vtv.vn/pho-thu-tuong-tran-hong-ha-thanh-lap-quy-nha-o-quoc-gia-thuc-su-kha-thi-linh-hoat-gan-voi-nhu-cau-thuc-te-10025092514005693.htm