HCM City (VNA) - Dong Nai faces a severe shortage of workers’ housingsince 60 percent of the southern province’s one million workers hail from otherprovinces and cities.

Mostworkers and their families live in a shabby rented room because budget socialhousing is being built too slowly.

NguyenThanh Son is a worker who came from the central province of Nghe An to work atthe Hoi Nai Industrial Park in Tran Bom district 10 years ago.

Heand his wife have three children. The couple earn 10 million VND (400 USD) amonth and can only save 1-2 million USD (45-90 USD) out of that.

Hisroom measures a mere 15sq.m. His children often fall sick because of their poorcondition.

“Wetry hard to save for a house but we cannot because our income is just enoughfor our daily needs,” Son told Viet Nam News Agency.

Hisis one of 12 rooms in Bui Chu Hamlet in Trang Bom’s Bac Son commune, most ofwhich are rented by workers from central and northern provinces.

“Owninga house is a very distant dream for us. We used to hear a lot about socialhousing where workers like us can pay a little every month. But we hear nomore.”

Arecent survey by the Dong Nai Trade Union found only 8 percent of workers havesavings while 72 percent live from hand to mouth.

Dueto their low incomes, 62 percent of workers have to work extra time, with mostfacing financial difficulties and lacking support from their families.

Inrecent times several companies that hire a lot of workers, like Phong Thái and ChinhXac Vietnam in Trang Bom district and Chinwell Fastener in Nhon Trach district,have built a combined 65,000sq.m of bachelor housing for 10,000 workers.

“Companiesbuilding dormitories for their workers is very good but in the long termworkers will marry and need their own houses,” Tang Quoc Lap, deputy chairmanof the Dong Nai Trade Union, said.

TheTrade Union has called on the provincial People’s Committee to build apartmentsfor workers at 6 million VND (266 USD) per sq.m 2 million VND (85 USD) lessthan the price stipulated by the Ministry of Construction.

Workerscould pay for the houses each month together with low interest, Lap said.

Besides,the Trade Union would ask relevant authorities to fix standards for space,hygiene and rents for rented accommodation, he added.

NguyenThanh Lam, deputy director of the province’s Department of Construction, said“By 2020, Dong Nai province will complete 20,000 apartments for workers andlow-income people and dormitories for students.”

By2020, housing demand in Dong Nai would increase to over 80 million sq.m, Lam said.

Theprovince said to provide housing, especially for workers, the Government shouldprovide funding for several projects and have more policies to attractinvestment in social housing.

Inthe next three years, another 150,000 rooms are expected to be added around theprovince for workers and 7,500 apartments in Nhon Trach district.-VNA