After storm number 3, many old apartments are no longer safe.

The Ministry of Construction said that recently, many northern provinces and cities were greatly affected by super typhoon Yagi (typhoon No. 3), causing floods in some localities, causing huge losses in human lives and property.

According to records from several provinces and cities, many old apartment buildings that are being renovated and rebuilt have cracked and tilted, making them unsafe for continued use due to the impact of the storm.

Therefore, some localities have had to evacuate people from apartment buildings to ensure safety.

According to statistics, the country currently has about 2,500 old apartment buildings built before 1994, mainly concentrated in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; many of which, according to inspection results, are in need of renovation and reconstruction.

According to the Ministry of Construction, the Housing Law 2023 has stipulated many new and specific policy mechanisms related to the renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings.

On July 25, 2024, the Government issued Decree No. 98/2024/ND-CP detailing a number of articles of the Housing Law on renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings (effective from August 1, 2024, replacing Decree No. 69/2021/ND-CP dated July 15, 2021 of the Government) institutionalizing a number of provisions of the Housing Law 2023 related to the renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings.

To ensure the safety of life and property of people living in old apartment buildings before the 2024 storm season, and at the same time promote projects to renovate and rebuild apartment buildings in the area, the Ministry of Construction requests the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to urgently carry out the assigned tasks prescribed in the Housing Law 2023, Decree No. 98.

Specifically, the Ministry of Construction requires localities to immediately implement solutions to relocate people out of old, dangerous, degraded apartment buildings that must be demolished according to regulations; and arrange temporary accommodation for households that must be relocated to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.

At the same time, localities need to urgently organize inspection and assessment of the quality of old apartment buildings in the area.

For apartment buildings that have completed inspection and quality assessment but are subject to renovation or reconstruction but have not yet been included in the apartment building renovation or reconstruction plan, a plan for renovation or reconstruction of the apartment building must be established according to the provisions of the 2023 Housing Law and Decree No. 98 as a basis for project implementation.

In addition, the Ministry of Construction requires localities to urgently organize the establishment and approval of 1/500 scale planning for areas with apartment buildings that need to be renovated and rebuilt so that investors have a basis to participate in developing investment plans, compensation, support and resettlement plans when registering to be project investors.

At the same time, localities urgently develop and approve plans to renovate and rebuild apartment buildings that must be demolished for renovation and reconstruction according to the provisions of the 2023 Housing Law and Decree No. 98. At the same time, determine the coefficient K for compensation of apartment area applicable to each area and location with apartment buildings built before 1994 that need to be renovated and rebuilt to serve as a basis for owners and project investors to agree on the area to be compensated according to coefficient K to include in the compensation and resettlement plan.

In parallel with organizing the selection of investors to accelerate the implementation of projects to renovate and rebuild apartment buildings according to the provisions of the 2023 Housing Law and Decree No. 98, localities need to organize training and widely disseminate information to all levels, sectors and people living in areas with old apartment buildings that need to be renovated and rebuilt.

From there, create consensus and widespread participation of the people, as a basis for quickly and conveniently implementing mechanisms and policies on renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings according to the provisions of the 2023 Housing Law and Decree No. 98.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City need to base on the provisions of the 2023 Housing Law and Decree No. 98 to promptly complete procedures for investors to soon implement; urgently build projects, arrange resettlement for people, and ensure the rights of apartment owners as well as project investors.

The two cities above are home to many old apartment buildings that need to be renovated and rebuilt, especially apartment building renovation and reconstruction projects that were implemented before the 2023 Housing Law took effect but have not yet completed the procedures in the project preparation phase such as approving compensation, support, and resettlement plans; land allocation, land lease, and construction permit issuance.