Tight management to ensure social housing reaches the right people, for the right purposes

The inspection team inspects social housing users at the 4-block apartment project in Quang Vinh ward (Bien Hoa city). Photo: L.An

Social housing is the State's welfare policy for low-income people who have difficulty with housing. Strict management to ensure that this policy reaches the right people and the right purpose is the problem.

Foreigners also live in… social housing

Dong Nai, especially Bien Hoa city, has a great demand for social housing. In recent times, the province and the city have implemented many solutions to partly meet the needs of the people, while promoting the effectiveness of the State's social security policy. Contrary to these efforts is the situation of vacant apartments and misuse of apartments. This problem was pointed out by the inspection team of the Department of Construction in Conclusion No. 01/KL-SXD dated April 26, 2025 on the inspection of the implementation of legal regulations on management, use, rental, and hire-purchase of social housing in Bien Hoa city.

Typically, at the Tam Hoa Ward Social Housing Project (formerly, now Binh Da Ward), at the time of inspection, the delegation recorded that there were apartments with foreigners living there. Or at the Quang Vinh Ward Social Housing Project of 4 blocks, when inspected, there were 17 vacant apartments and 23 apartments used for the wrong purposes. Using the wrong purposes has deprived those who are qualified and in real need of social housing from accessing it. The situation of leaving apartments vacant is a waste of investment resources, going against the State's social security policy goals.

Mr. Dao Quoc Tuan, Deputy Head of the Inspection Team of the Department of Construction, said that during the inspection, the team discovered cases of improper use, empty apartments, encroachment on corridors and common spaces. Notably, many cases were absent despite prior notice, making verification difficult.

For example, at the A6-A7 Social Housing Project (Quang Vinh Ward), at the time of inspection, 47/65 apartments were ownerless, accounting for more than 72%. The Tam Hoa Ward Social Housing Project had 41/97 apartments without owners, accounting for more than 42%. Particularly at the 4-block Social Housing Project in Quang Vinh Ward, there were 270/716 cases of absenteeism, accounting for 38%.

Ms. T., one of the absentees at the 4-block social housing project in Quang Vinh ward during the inspection on April 20, 2025, explained that she did not intentionally avoid it but had returned to her hometown. On May 7, she brought her rental contract and citizen identification card to the Apartment Management Office to report the reason for her absence.

Revocation of social housing for the wrong subjects

Social housing is a social security policy of the State to support low-income people, workers, and laborers who have difficulty finding housing. The fact that cases of using social housing for the wrong purposes while many disadvantaged people have not been able to access housing has caused discontent in society.

People repair apartments at Social Housing Project A6-A7 (Quang Vinh ward, Bien Hoa city).

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha has repeatedly emphasized that social housing is a humane policy of the Party and State to meet the housing needs of low-income people, while contributing to ensuring social security, progress and equity. Those with high incomes who can afford to buy a house, if they continue to occupy social housing, are going against the spirit of equity. It is time to tighten the process of reviewing subjects, increase inspection and strictly handle cases of taking advantage of this policy.

Based on the inspection results report of the Department of Construction, on May 7, the Provincial People's Committee issued a document directing departments, branches and local People's Committees to handle responsibilities for cases of cadres, civil servants, public employees and armed forces using social housing but absent or not cooperating with the inspection team; at the same time, assigned the Department of Construction to preside over specific work with cases of incorrect use or absence during the inspection process.

“Encourage voluntary return of the house if there is no need to use it. In case of non-voluntary return, it is necessary to summarize and advise the Provincial People's Committee to consider, handle, and issue a decision to reclaim according to regulations. In particular, it is necessary to consider signs of taking advantage of policies and personal gain” - the document of the Provincial People's Committee clearly stated.

Following this directive, a number of investors and social housing project management boards have sent documents to each household absent on the inspection day, requesting them to report the reason. In case the household does not report or reports to the wrong person, the authorities will propose measures to handle the situation.

The above story shows that the management and supervision of social housing users by some investors is still loose. It is time to have stricter solutions in social housing management, in which the recovery of social housing used for the wrong purpose or to the wrong subjects is one of the necessary solutions to correct violations and warn to ensure that the State's social security policy is for the right people and the right purposes.

Le An

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202505/quan-ly-chat-de-nha-o-xa-hoi-den-dung-nguoi-dung-muc-dich-e846763/