A social housing project in Mê Linh DIstrict, Hà Nội. The capital city expects a new social housing project to begin construction by October. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh

HÀ NỘI — Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee Trần Sỹ Thanh has asked relevant departments to start building at least one social housing project by the beginning of October.

At a conference on developing social housing projects in the capital city on Thursday, Thanh said focus should be placed on streamlining social housing projects to improve living standards for low-income earners.

A report by the municipal Department of Construction shows that the capital city has already approved plans for developing five social housing projects with a total area of 248 ha.

Investment policies have also been completed for four projects with a total of 12,300 apartment units. Evaluations are underway.

There are three projects planned in Đông Anh District, a 3,200-unit project called Greenlink City in Tiên Dương Commune, another 3,000 units set to go up in Tiên Dương and 3,600-unit projects in Đại Mạch and Tiền Phong communes. There is also a project in Cổ Bi Commune, Gia Lâm District, which will have a total of 2,400 apartment units.

Thanh asked for progress to be sped up and construction to start for at least one project before October. Still, he asked that quality be ensured.

At a dialogue with workers in late May, Thanh admitted that the implementation of social housing projects remained slow due to bottlenecks in legal and investment procedures, and that the supply fails to meet demand.

In the four-year period ending in 2020, social housing development in Hà Nội met only 26.24 per cent of the city’s planned targets, while the supply met only 20 per cent of the demand. — VNS