Hanoi (VNA)ꦡ –The Director of the Department of Housing and Real Estate Market Management under the Ministry of Construction Hoang Hai has said that to complete the target of 130,000 social housing apartments in 2024, the important thing is to arrange land funds and issue clearer regulations on preferential policies.

According to the project to invest in building at least 1 million social housing apartments by 2030, the total number of apartments built in localities will be about 1,062,200. However, the implementation process in localities is still facing many difficulties, especially "obstacles" in terms of land funds, and access to preferential loans. Talking about the above issue, Hai said that the Ministry of Construction is trying to submit decrees guiding the implementation of the Law on Housing (amended) to the Government before July 1, 2024. These decrees would take effect quickly, contributing to solving difficulties related to real estate, and especially social housing issues.

Reporter: Could you tell us the key solution to complete the goal of building at least 1 million social housing apartments for low-income people and workers at industrial parks in the 2021-2030 period, especially in 2024?

Director Hoang Hai:ജ The goal of the project is to build at least 1 million social housing apartments for low-income people and workers at industrial parks in the 2021-2030 period. Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP on main tasks and solutions to implement the socioeconomic development plan and state budget estimate for 2024 clearly states that the whole country will strive to build about 130,000 social housing apartments this year.

I think achieving the above goal requires determination from ministries and sectors, and especially localities and businesses. With that spirit, in my opinion, localities need to urgently supplement and adjust housing development programmes and plans, which clarifies the goals of social housing, housing for the armed forces, and those for workers as well as low-incomers. In a recent report sent to the Prime Minister and provinces and cities, based on the goal of developing social housing in 2024, the Ministry of Construction also clearly allocated the number of apartments to localities, and at the same time recommended that localities need to have drastic directions to implement in accordance with the set goals. In addition, the ministry also urged localities to arrange land funds to prioritise social housing development.

For projects that have investment policies, localities need to select investors to immediately start construction. Localities need to urge investors to complete land clearance early for acceptance and handover. With 20% of the land fund in commercial housing projects, when there is an investor, building social housing is required. In case of handing over to the locality for social housing, the locality must also promptly proceed with the recovery for early implementation, so as to ensure the completion of the set goals.

Reporter: With housing development projects communes that are eligible to borrow under the 120-trillion-VND (4.85 billion USD) credit programme, how will the implementation proceed?

Director Hoang Hai: ✅Twenty-eight provinces across the country have announced a list of 68 projects eligible for loans under the credit programme with a total need of more than 30 trillion VND. Currently, there are six social housing projects in five localities that have been disbursed with a capital of about 415 billion VND.

To complete the goals set out in Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP, in my opinion, projects that have received loans and have been implemented must be completed soon to shorten construction time and reduce costs. Completed projects need to have their catalogues published so that people can have early access and be able to register to buy social housing. We believe that with the determination of the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors, localities as well as businesses, in 2024, the whole country will achieve the goal of completing 130,000 social housing apartments.

Reporter: At the current conference to implement the project to build at least 1 million social housing apartments, many opinions raised the two most problematic issues for real estate businesses in the process of participating in social housing development. They are land fund, and administrative procedures and capital sources. How will these difficulties be solved?

Director Hoang Hai:❀ Difficulties and problems related to land, housing and credit issues in the past and in reality have now been identified, adjusted and mentioned in the Law on Housing and the Land Law (amended).

However, for more detailed implementation, we are trying to submit to the Government for comments on decrees guiding the implementation of the laws before July 1, 2024, so that the decrees will take effect soon, contributing to addressing difficulties related to real estate, especially social housing issues. The sale price, eligible buyers and other regulations will be listed in decrees, land funds, and incentives for investors. These issues have also been mentioned in the Law on Housing and the Law on Real Estate Business (amended), but in the guiding decrees they will be stipulated in more detail.

Reporter: Could you please speak more clearly about the highlights that will be mentioned in the decrees guiding the implementation of the Law on Housing and the Law on Real Estate Business (amended) that will help remove current difficulties in social housing development?

Director Hoang Hai:📖 For example, regulations on the land fund issue were previously somewhat "rigid", but are now more "open". The decrees will clearly stipulate cases where land funds must be reserved in commercial housing projects.

In addition, in external independent projects, the People's Committees of provinces and cities also have the right to proactively arrange land funds based on housing development needs and appropriate allocation of land funds for social housing development. The next issue to be mentioned is preferential policies. The most important is that these policies can attract the participation of investors, especially those in social housing development. The guiding decrees will have more clear and detailed regulations. Accordingly, the decrees will have new regulations and points to encourage and attract investors to invest in social housing development. For example, there include the issue of land fund allocation for social housing development in commercial housing projects. These will calculate selling prices, and the conditions to buy social housing under simplified administrative procedures. In addition, the issue of developing accommodations for workers at industrial parks will also see the list of eligible investors expanded. Accordingly, investors participating in social housing development in localities can be the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour or the armed forces.

Reporter: Sincerely thank you!./.