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The inspection meeting (Photo: SGGP) |
Before this meeting, the inspection team paid a visit to Thu Thiem Green House project to build over 1,000 apartments in Thanh My Loi Ward of Thu Duc City, invested by Thu Thiem Group. The project is expected to finish at the end of this year, but until now there are only 100 households signing up for accommodation rent.
Director Tran Viet Cuong of Thu Thiem Group shared that among a huge quantity of potential customers coming to learn about the project, only a few are with eligible documents. Besides meeting three requirements about house ownership, accommodation type, and salary, these people have to prove that they are current employees of businesses sited in export processing zones or industrial parks in Thu Duc City. He proposed that competent authorities consider expanding the served subjects.
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Chairwoman of the HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le and the inspection team is visiting the social housing project in Thanh My Loi Ward (Photo: SGGP) |
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Vice Chairman of the Thu Duc City People’s Committee Nguyen Ky Phung reported that in the 2016-2020 period, the city approved 9 social housing projects, 4 of which have already been built and completed to offer nearly 4,500 apartments. In the 2021-2025 period, the city will continue to pour money in 3 social housing projects, 2 of which have started construction.
14 accommodation projects in Thu Duc City allocate land lots for social housing, but have not finished necessary legal procedures. There are 5 housing projects for workers as well, yet only 1 is operative to offer over 1,000 apartments for laborers in Thanh My Loi Ward. The rest have either not been launched or still in the stage of completing administrative procedures. finally, Thu Duc City has one residential project for employees in Saigon Hi-tech Park.
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Workers are constructing the apartment building of the social housing project in Thanh My Loi Ward (Photo: SGGP) |
Vice Chairman Phung then mentioned limits in social housing development, saying that state agencies and departments in HCMC are in charge of handling tardiness in such projects, but there is not a regulation on specific sanctions for tardy investors. Other serious challenges are trouble in finding sufficient capital and identifying a reasonable price that balances between the regulation and profits.
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Head of the Economy – Budget Board under the HCMC People’s Council Le Truong Hai Hieu is presenting his speech (Photo: SGGP) |
It is necessary for investors to research the real needs of social housing and apartments for workers in the area before coming up with an affordable price for eligible buyers, answered Head of the Economy – Budget Division under the HCMC People’s Council Le Truong Hai Hieu.
As to the social housing project in Thanh My Loi Ward with only 100 households, Head of the Thu Duc City Urban Management Division Nguyen Thi Doan Trang explained that most people approach the project with the wish to permanently own an apartment here. However, this project is for workers to rent only.
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The inspection meeting (Photo: SGGP) |
Deputy Director of the HCMC Construction Department added that in the 2009 planning, this project is inside an industrial park in the old District 2 for workers to rent. Therefore, a change of served subjects means an adjustment of the 1/500 planning, which is now considered by Thu Duc City.
He agreed with meeting participants about the overly strict regulations on eligible subjects for social housing as they have to satisfy three requirements about house ownership, accommodation type, and salary, not to mention difficulties in loan policies.
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Delegate Tang Huu Phong, Editor in Chief of SGGP Newspaper, is delivering his speech in the meeting (Photo: SGGP) |
Editor in Chief of SGGP Newspaper Tang Huu Phong voiced in the meeting that the inspection of the social housing project in Thanh My Loi Ward reveals a huge gap between the list price and the ability of workers to buy or rent an apartment here. For instance, an apartment with a surface area of 58m2 has the price of VND1.6-1.8 billion (US$65,600-73,800). With the current salary level in Vietnam, it is rather challenging for a worker to obtain such a house.
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Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Le of the HCMC People’s Council is giving her presentation in the meeting (Photo: SGGP) |
In her speech, Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Le stressed that both the HCMC People’s Committee, the state departments of the city (Construction, Planning and Investment, Finance, Planning and Architecture, Tax), the Thu Duc City People’s Committee, and investors are responsible for the projects behind schedule or not able to launch due to legal issues, land-related problems, and investment policy adjustment, or unable to identify retail prices.
“Obviously, reports from the local authorities only list project statistics and progress along with reasons for the tardiness. There are no feasible solutions mentioned, especially for the 14 social housing projects approved but not yet having their investment procedure completed”, she said.
The Chairwoman then asked that the Thu Duc City People’s Committee first update all necessary information related to the projects and provide specific solutions for each. It has to also monitor and support project investors to finish needed legal procedures, land clearance tasks. Finally, it must effectively perform the management task on these projects to ensure the quality, fire prevention, and other legal matters so that the rights of house buyers.
