How to implement breakthrough policies to develop social housing?

(NLDO) - A series of specific and breakthrough regulations are stipulated in the government's draft decree on social housing development.

The Ministry of Construction is drafting a Decree detailing a number of articles 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. The draft Decree consists of 5 Chapters and 19 articles, effective from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2030.

Implementing breakthrough policies to develop social housing. Photo: Hoang Thanh

This Decree provides detailed regulations on the following contents: National Housing Fund; assignment of investors, approval of investment policies, and assignment of investors without bidding for investment projects on construction of social housing and housing for the people's armed forces not using public investment capital; procedures for granting construction permits in cases where construction permits are required; application of sample designs and typical designs of social housing construction works; determination of selling prices and rent-to-purchase prices of social housing.

The Draft Decree has stipulated the following administrative procedures and processes that have been reduced and reformed: Not implementing bidding procedures to select investors, procedures for approving investment policies according to the provisions of the law on investment, but implementing the assignment of investors without going through bidding.

Based on Resolution 201, this regulation reduces about 200 days, equivalent to about 70% of the time to carry out procedures compared to current regulations.

The procedure for approving the investment policy and simultaneously assigning the investor to the social housing construction investment project prescribed in this Decree replaces the procedure for approving the investment policy and the procedure for selecting the investor according to the provisions of the law on investment and relevant laws. The decision to approve the investment policy and simultaneously assign the investor is the basis for allocating land, leasing land, and permitting change of land use purpose; the order, procedures, and authority for allocating land, leasing land, and permitting change of land use purpose according to the provisions of the law on land.

In addition, the open bidding process is not required for contractor selection packages in construction activities, but a shortened bidding process is applied, thereby reducing 45 - 105 days compared to current regulations.

Exemption from construction permit for cases applying sample design, typical design, thereby reducing 20 - 30 days compared to current regulations.

Regarding the application of model designs and typical designs of social housing construction works (Article 15), the draft decree stipulates: The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall announce model designs and typical designs of social housing construction works for model designs and typical designs that have been appraised by the Provincial Department of Construction for their conformity with social housing area standards, fire prevention and fighting requirements, and relevant technical regulations and national construction standards. The application of model designs and typical designs of social housing works shall be carried out on a voluntary basis or used for reference when preparing housing construction investment projects.

According to Mr. Le Hoang Chau, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, in the special policy mechanism on social housing, there are two outstanding groups of policy mechanisms, which are the decision to establish the National Housing Development Fund for leasing; the outstanding special mechanism, a breakthrough in the investment procedures for building social housing projects.

"As the Prime Minister has stated, it will reduce about 350 days for social housing procedures. This is calculated according to the time in the State's regulations, but in practice we see a reduction of more than 1,000 days, a reduction of at least 3 years for procedures" - Mr. Chau said.

According to Mr. Chau, the mechanism of allowing investors to approve investment policies without bidding is a superior mechanism.

"If social housing projects apply standard designs or typical designs, they will be exempt from construction permits. This is great! We did not have this regulation before," said Mr. Chau.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/trien-khai-chinh-sach-dot-pha-de-phat-trien-nha-o-xa-hoi-nhu-the-nao-196250607172557509.htm