Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and delegates press buttons to inaugurate three rental housing projects and five urban railway lines. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Phương

HÀ NỘI — Social housing must be recognised as a strategic, long‑term segment serving a large number of people, especially industrial workers, students, civil servants and members of the armed forces who have great demand for reasonably priced rental accommodation.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng made the statement as he attended a joint groundbreaking ceremony for three low-income rental housing projects and five urban rail lines on Monday in Hà Nội.

This is the largest package of infrastructure and social housing projects the capital has ever undertaken, marking an important shift from preparing policies to implementation and realisation of the Government’s major development directions for Hà Nội.

Hưng told Hà Nội authorities to prioritise a pilot approach, take the lead and review all planning, land and public housing currently being used inefficiently to propose plans for new social housing models.

Results must be reported to the PM by the end of June, he said, going on to add that Hà Nội's successful pilot mechanisms should eventually be rolled out nationwide.

Housing

At the event, the city launched three social housing projects. The municipal People’s Committee is using public investment capital from payments for social housing obligations by commercial housing projects to construct two low-income housing schemes.

The first, located in the Pháp Vân – Tứ Hiệp residential area in Yên Sở Ward, comprises 1,176 units with total investment of around VNĐ1.3 trillion (US$49 million). The second is a project in Việt Hưng Ward, a resettlement area for Hà Nội's Old Quarter residents, comprising 1,166 units with a total investment of about VNĐ3.5 trillion ($133 million).

Aside from these two public housing projects, the Him Lam Corporation has proposed a mixed-use Him Lam Long Biên residential project, allocating over 11ha to develop around 6,000 units with an estimated total investment of approximately VNĐ29 trillion ($1.1 billion). Of this, about 4,000 units will be designated for long-term, low-income rentals. The rental component is expected to be completed and put into operation by the end of 2028.

The Hà Nội People’s Committee has pledged to gather resources, implement the projects on schedule and ensure quality, safety and investment efficiency. It also vowed to promptly deal with any difficulties that arise and to make effective use of the special mechanisms put in place by the Government.

Municipal authorities said they would strive to deliver exemplary projects in terms of progress, quality and results, contributing to building a capital that is cultural, civilised, modern and happy.

Metro lines

The simultaneous start of five urban rail lines, with a combined length of approximately 303.5km, is a particularly significant milestone for the city.

It is the largest transport infrastructure investment programme the capital has ever launched and one of the largest urban infrastructure programmes in the country. This represents a move away from investing in individual lines towards gradually establishing an integrated, modern urban rail network.

The five lines are part of Hà Nội’s planned network of 18 urban rail routes, totalling about 979km.

Targeted for completion by 2030, the new routes will link up with Lines 3 and 5, which are already under construction, forming an integrated public transport network across the city.

The Hà Nội Metropolitan Railway Management Board has been appointed as the project owner.

Aside from addressing traffic problems, the metro system will serve as a strategic backbone for restructuring Hà Nội’s urban space, promoting transit-oriented development and extending the city’s growth corridors north–south and east–west.

It will connect Nội Bài International Airport and the Hà Nội Railway Station with new growth poles, such as Hòa Lạc, Thư Lâm, Cổ Loa, Gia Lâm and neighbouring localities within the capital region.

This will strengthen regional connectivity, boost competitiveness and create new growth momentum for the capital for decades to come.

Hà Nội’s commitment

Vũ Đại Thắng, chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee, said this marked the beginning of a new development phase with projects that would carry strategic significance for decades.

"The city recognises that policies and directives only prove their worth when translated into concrete projects and tangible outcomes that residents and businesses can experience in daily life," he said.

The basic goal of completing the five urban rail lines by 2030 is part of Hà Nội’s development plan and a commitment to the Government, to the capital's residents and to the city’s future, according to Thắng.

As for the three social housing projects, Thắng expressed appreciation for the partnership of the business community, particularly Him Lam Corporation, for adjusting its investment to allocate more than 11ha for 4,000 long-term rental units, helping the city realise an important social policy objective.

These are the first projects of the city’s social housing development programme and will lay the groundwork for establishing a new low-income housing segment.

Hà Nội authorities aim to gradually develop a professional, high-quality social housing market at affordable prices, helping reduce the pressure to own housing at any cost and build a healthy, sustainable real estate market aligned with international trends.

The social housing areas will be planned in coordination with the urban rail lines, employment, education, health and public service centres to create modern and convenient urban communities.

At the event, Dương Công Minh, a major shareholder of Him Lam and chairman of Sacombank’s Board of Directors, said this was a momentous day for Him Lam to be approved as the first investor in Hà Nội’s social housing programme.

As one of the city’s key investors in housing, with a goal of helping to solve accommodation issues for residents and backed by proven reputation, financial capacity and development experience, Him Lam confirmed its readiness to implement the projects swiftly, meet deadlines and ensure housing quality comparable to market housing in technical standards, finish, aesthetics and urban amenities.

He noted that demand for low-income housing among workers, civil servants, factory employees and young families was very high, while the supply of professionally managed, well‑planned housing with integrated infrastructure and amenities remained limited.

Most current options are self-built, fragmented boarding houses that lack stability and do not meet expectations for quality, safety and long-term tenure, according to Minh.

This represents a significant gap in the housing market that requires stronger participation from capable, experienced and committed developers.

With the newly launched social housing project, Him Lam pledged to proceed quickly, ensure progress and deliver quality equivalent to commercial housing.

Minh said Him Lam hoped to continue receiving support from central and local authorities and urged policymakers to adopt appropriate, tailored regulations and policies for the social housing segment, especially measures to facilitate long-term, preferential-rate loans for housing developers. — VNS