Prime Minister: 'Land is in our hands, money can be mobilized but social housing construction is slow to change'

On the afternoon of March 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a national online conference on removing difficulties and obstacles and promoting the development of social housing.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh - Photo: VGP

In his opening speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that the development of social housing has been discussed a lot, but the implementation has not been very effective.

Welcoming some localities that have recently started large social housing projects, he was concerned that "the land is in our hands, the money can be mobilized, the mechanisms, policies, and procedures are in our hands, but the construction of social housing is slow to change".

Removing legal obstacles for social housing

The Prime Minister affirmed that the demand for social housing is very large, so agencies must put themselves in the position of those in need to resolve and implement tasks according to their functions, tasks and powers.

In which localities have been assigned specific targets for social housing construction, this must be considered a political task.

It is necessary to evaluate whether the social housing construction targets assigned to localities are appropriate and whether more work is needed; the mechanisms and policies that need to be resolved; how to mobilize resources; design and model of social housing; mass production capacity; methods of implementation, planning, land allocation, and administrative procedures.

Recently, some institutional problems have been resolved but they still remain. The Prime Minister suggested that specific comments on legal problems should be made. Consider the social housing architectural design competition to have house models that are suitable for the conditions, landscape, culture, climate of each region, and the needs of users while still being spacious, bright, green, clean and beautiful. At the same time, it is possible to study the construction of social housing by assembling reinforced concrete components.

Regarding resources, he mentioned a number of solutions that have been and are being implemented such as establishing a national housing fund; disbursing a credit package of 140,000 billion VND for social housing without counting it into the credit 'room' of banks...

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh - Photo: VGP

Prioritize social housing over commercial housing

Especially in terms of procedures, it is necessary to create mechanisms and policies, calling on businesses to do it quickly and reduce procedures. However, the question is why businesses have not done it yet, because the government does not dare to assign it? Is a direct assignment mechanism without bidding possible?

If this is done, it is necessary to ensure publicity, transparency, and prevent corruption, negativity, and waste. At the same time, it must ensure substance, no formality, no green troops, no red troops, and avoid a very long process that takes time and does not bring any results.

Local authorities and Party committees must accompany and support contractors, not leaving them alone on the construction site; mobilize the participation of the entire political system, the participation of forces such as youth and women, promote the art of "people's war", everyone helps to create a combined strength.

The Prime Minister also noted that social housing does not mean building on "leftover" land, "deserted" places, where commercial housing cannot be built, then building social housing. Priority must be given to social housing first, then commercial housing, meeting infrastructure requirements, and having the form of purchase and lease purchase.

Reporting on the development of social housing, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh said that the country has planned 1,309 locations with a scale of 9,737 hectares of land for social housing. From 2021 to present, 655 social housing projects have been implemented nationwide with a scale of 593,428 units.

In 2024 alone, 28 projects with a scale of 20,284 units have been completed nationwide; 23 projects with a scale of 25,399 units have been licensed and started construction; the number of projects approved for investment policy is 113 projects, equivalent to 142,450 units. To date, 103 projects with a scale of 66,755 units have been completed. In 2024 alone, 28 projects with a scale of 21,874 units have been completed.

Mr. Sinh proposed that the Prime Minister assign the Ministry of Construction to research and preside over the development of a resolution to pilot specific mechanisms and policies on social housing development, including policies for selecting investors in social housing construction projects without bidding and a number of policies to remove obstacles in social housing development.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thu-tuong-dat-trong-tay-ta-tien-co-the-huy-dong-ma-xay-nha-o-xa-hoi-cham-chuyen-bien-20250306160633321.htm