Binh Duong effectively implements policies, laws on social housing development

"Over the past time, Binh Duong focused on directing and effectively implementing policies, laws on real estate market management and social housing development". Bui Van Cuong, member of the Central Party Committee, member of the National Assembly Standing Committee and head of Working Group No. 3 of the 15^th National Assembly Supervisory Delegation made the statement at a meeting with Binh Dương provincial People's Committee on July 12.

Focusing on implementation

Over the past time, Binh Duong concretized relevant policies and directives in real estate market management, enhancing law dissemination to create a transparent and favorable legal environment for investment and business activities. The province issued a housing development program for the period of 2016-2020 with a vision to 2030 and plans for housing development for the periods of 2016-2020 and 2021-2025…

In recent years, Binh Duong has focused on developing many social housing projects at the needs of laborers. In picture: A corner of the Dinh Hoa social housing area in Thu Dau Mot city

Binh Duong implemented various policies to address housing issues for low-income laborers, focusing on promoting social housing projects and encouraging investment from enterprises. The province strengthened socialization efforts, calling on industrial zone and cluster investors to allocate land funds for the development of housing and cultural facilities for workers. The Becamex IDC social housing model, based on clean land funds, was invested in and put into use with favorable prices suitable for workers' incomes, combined with preferential home loan schemes, which quickly attracted customers and helped partially solve housing needs for policy beneficiary families, the poor, low-income people and workers in the area.

For many years, Binh Duong recognized the importance of social housing development in meeting the housing needs of residents, ensuring social security, and promoting the local economic and social development. The province focused on improving the quality of social housing, ensuring safety, convenience and full amenities for users.

Vo Hoang Ngan, Director of provincial Department of Construction stated that over the past time, social housing development got close coordination from departments, agencies, organizations, localities and the community. Binh Duong supported households and individuals in building houses for rent with their funds, significantly contributing to solving the housing needs for people living and working in the area.

From 2015 to 2023, the province approved hundreds of commercial housing projects, including townhouses, apartments and land plots. Regarding social housing, the province approved investment policies for 12 low-rise social housing projects and 6 apartment projects. In the period of 2016-2021, 17 projects and 1 social housing scheme were invested, with a total floor area of 1.33 million m² out of 2 million m² planned, achieving 65% of the target.

Many obstacles needing to be removed

Reporting to the supervisory delegation, Mr. Ngan stated that from 2015 to the end of 2023, Binh Duong faced several difficulties in implementing policies and laws on real estate market management. Specifically, there was an overlap in the annual land use plan approval process at the district level between the Land Law and the Law on the Organization of Local Governments (which requires approval by the district-level People's Council before submission to provincial-level People's Committee for approval), leading to prolonged implementation. The determination of specific land prices for calculating financial obligations was time-consuming, affecting investment plans, business operations of enterprises and State budget revenues from land. The issuance of land use rights certificates for real estate in some projects was delayed because investors had not completed financial obligations on land…

Also at the meeting, Binh Duong reported on existing problems in implementing social housing development plans. Particularly, investment, construction, and purchase-sale procedures were complicated and prolonged, causing costs for enterprises. Incentive policies for investors of social housing projects were not attractive enough, and it was challenging to mobilize investment capital.

To overcome these shortcomings, facilitating social housing development, provincial People's Committee has proposed four groups of tasks and solutions ("Group of tasks and solutions related to institutions and mechanisms; group of tasks and solutions for implementation organization; group for implementing policies and laws on social housing development; group for inspection, supervision, audit and settlement of violations in implementing policies and laws on social housing development. Binh Duong also proposes the National Assembly to allow foreign and domestic investors in industrial parks to purchase social housing units to arrange for workers to live or rent while requesting the Government to have solutions to remove difficulties and issue some mechanisms to promote the local social housing development.

Reported by Phuong Le-Translated by Kim Tin