HCMC greenlights 147 pilot land sites to boost commercial housing supply

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Council has approved a list of 147 land sites earmarked for commercial housing development under the pilot mechanism established by National Assembly Resolution No. 171/2024/QH15.

The decision is expected to mark a new phase in addressing housing demand in Vietnam's largest urban center while helping to resolve long-standing legal obstacles facing numerous property projects.

Accordingly, the 147 sites cover a combined area of more than 854.28 ha, equivalent to approximately 8.54 million square meters. Of this total, around 457.34 ha consist of existing residential land and land proposed for conversion into residential use.

Notably, about 341.51 ha of rice-growing land are expected to be converted for other purposes. This substantial land bank is expected to contribute additional housing supply to the urban real estate market at a time when demand for housing in HCM City remains consistently high.

Of the approved sites, 94 are located in the former Ho Chi Minh City area, covering approximately 589.58 ha. Another 19 sites are situated in the former Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, with a total area of around 124.67 ha, while 34 sites are located in the former Binh Duong province, totaling about 140.03 ha. The list also includes one defense-related land parcel.

Fomer Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Binh Duong provinces have been merged into Ho Chi Minh City since July 2025.

According to the City People's Committee, the selection process was based on a thorough review of 450 applications conducted over three rounds of evaluation.

Calculations show that the combined area of existing residential land and land proposed for residential conversion within the 147 sites remains within the limits set by Resolution No 171. The resolution stipulates that the residential land area of pilot projects must not exceed 30% of the additional residential land allocated during the planning period.

The city's administration emphasized that approval of the 147-site list serves only as a basis for carrying out subsequent procedures under the pilot program. The decision does not replace requirements for investment policy approval, investor recognition, land allocation, land leasing, or permission for land-use conversion.