For many families who have moved to Ho Chi Minh City for work, an affordable apartment is a foundation that allows them to settle down and build a stable life. In this context, the city’s decision to open a “green channel” for social housing projects is seen as a solution to streamline procedures, increase supply, and bring hope of turning the dream of stable housing into reality for millions of workers and low-income earners.
Dream of home-ownership still eludes many workers in Ho Chi Minh City
While some families have managed to secure social housing after years of saving, countless workers continue to struggle in cramped rental rooms, highlighting the urgent need for expanded access to affordable housing in the city.
After many years of saving, Nguyen Thi Anh and her husband from Nghe An were able to purchase an apartment in the Becamex Dinh Hoa social housing area in Chanh Hiep Ward through a 25-year installment plan. Among millions of workers who have left their hometowns to make a living in the city, Anh’s family is one of the few who have managed to achieve the dream of stable housing.
From living in a cramped rental room, her family now has a decent and stable home to build their future. Similarly, after years of saving, Nguyen Van Canh and his wife from Vinh Long have bought an apartment in a social housing area in An Phu Ward. Moving from a damp rental room far from their workplace to a new home has significantly improved their quality of life. Their new apartment is located in a residential area near schools, markets, and essential services, making daily life more convenient. However, not all workers are fortunate enough to own social housing.
In reality, many people are still struggling with housing in the big city. Ho Van Nam, a worker who has lived in Binh Duong Ward for more than 13 years after moving from Da Nang, still lives with his wife and two children in a rented room of only about 12 square meters. The cramped space and limited living conditions create many difficulties, especially as his children grow older.
Nam said his greatest wish is to have a stable home that allows him to work without distractions.
Similarly, Truong Van Can and his wife moved from An Giang to Ho Chi Minh City 10 years ago to work as factory workers. After all that time, they still rent a room of less than 10 square meters in Tan Tao Ward. For them, a small apartment is not only a long-term asset but also a foundation for settling down and building a life in the city. However, their dream of homeownership has yet to come true.
Ho Chi Minh City streamlines social housing projects to meet rising demand
By introducing a “green channel” mechanism to cut red tape and accelerate project timelines, Ho Chi Minh City aims to boost the supply of social housing, giving workers and low-income families a clearer path toward stable, affordable homes.
Demand for buying, leasing, and rent-to-own social housing in Ho Chi Minh City remains very high, especially among workers and low-income earners. One of the biggest barriers is the lengthy procedures involved in project investment and implementation, which delay supply and fail to meet demand in time. In response, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has issued guidance on procedures for implementing social housing construction projects.
The main goal of this guidance is to remove procedural bottlenecks, shorten project timelines, and increase the supply of social housing. This is considered a “green channel” mechanism for social housing projects, helping workers and low-income earners realize their housing dreams sooner. For example, projects developed by enterprises on legally owned land will be prioritized under this mechanism, reducing processing time to 132 days instead of the previous 153 days.
From a local perspective, Le Minh Hieu, Vice Chairman of the Tan Tao Ward People’s Committee, said that about 370 workers in the ward have registered interest in purchasing social housing. In the coming time, the ward will continue to enhance communication and provide detailed guidance on eligibility criteria, application documents, and procedures to help workers access these policies more easily and in compliance with regulations.
Meanwhile, trade unions are also actively supporting workers in their search for stable housing. Nguyen Kim Loan, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation, said that grassroots unions are compiling lists of eligible members, assisting with application procedures, and connecting workers with banks to access low-interest and long-term loans.
“We regularly gather workers’ feedback, propose pricing that matches income levels, plan land allocation, develop housing near industrial zones, and diversify flexible rental and rent-to-own models. More importantly, trade unions help supervise to ensure policies are implemented transparently and reach the right beneficiaries,” she said.
