Vietnam trade union plans over 10,700 social housing units for workers

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) plans to construct approximately 10,700 social housing units by 2030, aiming to provide workers with stable living conditions, allowing them to focus on their work and maintain long-term commitment to enterprises and industrial zones.

At a press conference regarding the outcomes of the 14th Vietnam Trade Union Congress, Vice President of the VGCL Le Van Nghia stated that the 2023 Housing Law clearly designates the VGCL as an authorized entity for social housing investment.

Based on this legal framework, the VGCL has developed an implementation plan starting in 2024 with three rental housing projects for the the 2024–2025 period.

To date, construction has commenced on all three projects in the provinces of Bac Ninh and Ben Tre (now Vinh Long), with a total scale of 1,722 apartments. These projects are expected to be completed and operational by 2027, contributing to the housing needs of workers in industrial zones.

According to the Prime Minister’s Decision on the "Development of at least 1 million social housing units by 2030" project, the VGCL was tasked with building 10,000 worker housing units between 2023 and 2030.

To achieve this goal, the VGCL plans to invest in 10 to 15 new projects across the country between 2026 and 2030, with a scale of approximately 9,000 apartments.

Mr. Nghia noted that with a total projected output of over 10,700 units and based on current progress, the VGCL is essentially on track to meet the target set by the Prime Minister.

In a related report, the Hanoi Confederation of Labor stated that the city currently has about 2.7 million workers, more than 70% of whom are living in rented boarding houses.

According to Director of the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture Nguyen Trong Ky Anh, the city’s housing development strategy will prioritize the planning and construction of large-scale, concentrated social housing areas. These areas will ensure synchronized technical and social infrastructure.

Hanoi has already designated 19 land funds for the development of concentrated social housing, covering a total area of approximately 995 ha.