According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, average green space per capita in the city currently stands at only about 0.7 square meters per person, far below the sustainable urban benchmark of 8-10 square meters per person.
To address the shortage of green infrastructure, the city is pushing ahead with multiple measures, including reviewing public land funds, accelerating delayed projects and mobilizing private investment to improve residents’ quality of life.
However, several localities still have planned parks that have yet to be implemented.
Vice Chairman Truong Ngoc Thanh Nhan of Tan Vinh Loc Commune People's Committee said the commune has 10 subdivision zoning plans at a 1/2000 scale and four detailed construction plans at a 1/500 scale that have already been approved.
A review found 80 locations designated as park and green space land in the approved planning schemes. Of those, 15 sites have been developed, mostly within the 30.92 hectare resettlement residential project and the Gia Phu residential area.
“According to statistics, Tan Vinh Loc Commune has a natural area of around 34 square kilometers and a population of more than 196,000 people. Given the shortage of parks and green spaces, the commune will continue reviewing planning schemes to further develop facilities serving residents,” Truong Ngoc Thanh Nhan said.
According to leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, following the administrative merger, the city reviewed the entire existing system of trees, parks and planned public green space funds.
The department has drafted and submitted to the city administration a public park and green space development plan for the 2026-2030 period. Under the plan, Ho Chi Minh City aims to raise public green space to no less than 1 square meter per person by 2030.
To achieve the target, the Department of Construction has asked administrations in wards and communes to review and propose investment plans for park construction, prioritizing publicly owned land to reduce site clearance costs and areas lacking parks or with low green space ratios.
Local authorities have also been requested to review residential and housing projects, especially those already inhabited but lacking parks, green areas or technical infrastructure, or where such infrastructure has deteriorated. Investors are being required to develop appropriate plans and timelines to fully complete parks and green spaces in accordance with approved 1/500 detailed construction plans.
A leader of the Department of Construction said the agency had proposed prioritizing investment in eight major parks, including Saigon Safari Park, the central square of Thu Thiem New Urban Area, Saigon riverside park, Ben Nha Rong Park, Thu Thiem Ecological Park, Dong Thanh Park, Go Cat Park and Hiep Thanh Park.
“These are large-scale park projects which, once completed, will create additional green spaces and recreational areas for residents,” the official said.
Meanwhile, existing parks in several areas remain insufficient to meet public demand.
In Phuoc Thang Ward, only Oil and Gas Monument Park currently serves residents. Nguyen Hung Cuong, acting head of the ward’s Economy, Infrastructure and Urban Division, said authorities had reviewed eight state-managed land plots that remain unused or underutilized, along with three delayed investment project sites, for potential conversion into temporary parks, outdoor sports areas, community spaces or flower gardens.
In Vung Tau Ward, existing parks are also struggling to meet rising demand from residents and tourists.
According to Head Nghiem Viet Hung of the ward’s Economy, Infrastructure and Urban Division, the ward currently has parks including Front Beach Park, Le Quy Don-Le Loi-Tran Hung Dao Park, Tran Hung Dao Monument Park and Ao Ca Park, but these spaces are becoming overcrowded, especially during weekends and public holidays.
