Amending the Housing Law contributes to fully institutionalizing housing policies and guidelines.

The delegates all agreed to comprehensively amend the Housing Law, thereby fully institutionalizing the Party and State's policies on housing. The delegates also raised a number of issues related to social housing, appropriate policies for resettled subjects, and home ownership by foreign individuals and organizations.

Focus on the quality of social housing projects

Giving his opinion on the naming of housing areas for the poor and low-income people in the future as resettlement areas and social housing areas, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri (Hanoi) said that there should be policies and proper, responsible and humane attention for people in the above cases. In general, there must be houses for these people so that they can work with peace of mind; resettlement cases are even more important, because the State takes land from the people, so there must be places for people to live. At the same time, the construction quality of those housing areas must ensure the set standards and criteria.

Referring to the quality of housing projects for the poor, low-income people, resettlement areas, and social housing areas, delegate Nguyen Anh Tri hopes that the above housing areas must ensure the standards and criteria on safety and quality prescribed by the State.

The delegate also suggested that the names of buildings and apartment complexes should not be written or hung on signs with functional names such as: Housing area for the poor, housing area for low-income people, resettlement housing area, etc. The delegate explained that these functional names are only used on documents and papers to obtain land funds and construction funds. Housing is essentially a commodity. When houses are associated with functional names, their value will decrease when transferred. The delegate also said that naming housing areas according to such functions can lead to discrimination, disrespect, and disgust towards the residents living there. The delegate suggested naming these housing areas with beautiful, meaningful names such as flowers, places, etc.

Sharing the same view with delegate Nguyen Anh Tri, delegate Nguyen Huu Chinh said that, with the naked eye, it can be seen that resettlement housing and commercial housing have completely different quality. Therefore, according to the delegate, in the Housing Law (amended), regarding resettlement, it is necessary to clearly stipulate the quality, avoiding cases where people are evicted and resettled in places of poor quality. The delegate also assessed that the State's policy towards those receiving resettlement support is still very low; there needs to be adjustments to the quality of resettlement housing areas.

Regarding the content of Clause 1, Article 51: People "are resettled in addition to ensuring conditions are equal to or better than the old place of residence", the delegate said that in theory it is very positive, however, this concept is very abstract. "The State believes that the area there, the housing area there is suitable, but for people who are in their birthplace, accustomed to the lifestyle, but are forced to resettle, it is clearly an unpopular mentality. Second, what is the need for equal or better? Some people like space, some people like to do business... Our housing fund cannot meet the many different needs of the people", the delegate said. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider changing the phrase "equal or better" in a direction that is closer to reality, ensuring that it is suitable for the State's conditions.

The state needs to approve social housing prices.

Giving his opinion on the issue of social housing, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said that there are two types of social housing: state-invested and socialized capital (invested by enterprises).

If social housing is invested by the State, according to the Minister, the draft law should clearly state that the Provincial People's Committee assigns the investor to implement it, and at the same time the Provincial People's Committee is responsible for regulating the selling price and rental price. "Because the land for social housing is not charged, of course the State invests in it and regulates the selling price for the eligible buyers," the Minister explained.

Regarding social housing invested by enterprises, the Minister said that there is no regulation on who approves the selling price. "As for social housing, I think the selling price must be approved by the State. Because enterprises invest, but only invest capital, and the land is allocated by the State, no land use fees are collected, and the land is allocated cleanly, of course the State must control the maximum selling price," the Minister commented.

According to the Minister, the State must decide on the selling price to sell to the right target and rent to the right target, otherwise it will fall into the commercial housing "channel".

The Minister emphasized again that regardless of whether it is social housing invested by the State or by enterprises, the State must decide on the price. He also proposed: "For social housing invested by the State, it must be sold at the right price, but for enterprises invested, it is necessary to set a maximum price to encourage investment by enterprises and social capital."

Regarding social housing infrastructure, the Minister of Finance said that maintenance and management fees must be issued by the Provincial People's Committee, otherwise each apartment complex will set a different fee.

He analyzed the reality that social housing was previously regulated to have no more than 5 floors (meaning only stairs), but now it requires an elevator, with more modern infrastructure, requiring a more professional management system. “If you want to be professional, you have to spend money, there must be a maintenance fund. Who pays for the maintenance fund, the workers, or the users of social housing. These are the poor and vulnerable, so the locality must approve the price, it is impossible for the investor to raise the price as he pleases,” the Minister analyzed.

Also proposing the same thing as the Minister of Finance, delegate Ta Thi Yen (Dien Bien) said that it is necessary to have more specific and detailed regulations in social housing policies to make them easier to implement in practice, especially regarding the process, procedures for investment and distribution, as well as standards and technical norms for social housing...

Delegates also suggested that enterprises developing infrastructure in concentrated industrial parks and clusters and economic zones must definitely have social housing projects with non-profit purposes; it is even possible to establish a social housing development fund in urban areas with many large-scale concentrated industrial parks and clusters.

Raising another aspect, delegate Nguyen Manh Tien (Tay Ninh) expressed his opinion that one of the problems that is difficult to solve for land resources for building houses for meritorious people and low-income earners is due to the high land prices. Citing China's experience, the delegate said: "China wants to have 100 hectares to build houses for low-income people, so they free up 200 hectares, of which 100 hectares are for low-income housing, 100 hectares are for commercial housing auctioned to have money to implement". The delegate proposed the establishment of public service enterprises to carry out public service projects, at the same time having tax exemption and reduction policies, and specific solutions for these enterprises.

Carefully calculate the issue of home ownership by foreign organizations and individuals

Regarding the number of houses that foreign organizations and individuals are allowed to own in Vietnam, delegate Nguyen Manh Tien said that at points b and c, clause 1, Article 19 of this Law, it is stipulated that "only allowed to buy, hire-purchase, receive gifts, inherit and own no more than 30% of the number of apartments in an apartment building. If it is a single house including a villa or a townhouse, in an area with a population equivalent to a ward-level administrative unit, only allowed to buy, hire-purchase, receive gifts, inherit and own no more than 250 houses" is not appropriate, and the sanctions are not clearly stated.

In Article 19, Clause 1, Item 1 on subjects allowed to own houses and forms of ownership in Vietnam by foreign organizations and individuals: "Foreign individuals are allowed to enter Vietnam, it is necessary to review to ensure strict regulations", delegates suggested that opening the door to foreign individuals should be selective, respecting the lives of local people.

Sharing the same concern, delegate Chau Van Lam (Tuyen Quang delegation) pointed out that in many countries, the subjects eligible to buy houses must have a “green card”; at the same time, it is necessary to clarify in the draft Law the subjects eligible to buy and the subjects eligible to rent to avoid exploitation. The delegate also suggested that there should be a more comprehensive impact assessment, review to avoid overlap and conflict with other laws such as the Land Law, Investment Law, Real Estate Business Law, etc.

Delegate Nguyen Dac Vinh (Tuyen Quang) also proposed to review and have stricter regulations on foreigners owning houses; those who come temporarily should only stop at temporary rental.

According to VNA