Hanoi is expected to complete a plan to set up a housing management center this year, along with enhancing the use and management of apartment buildings.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Duong Duc Tuan. Photos: The Hanoi Times

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan set the targets at a year-end meeting of the Hanoi Department of Construction on January 15.

Tuan also called for the department to step up its inspection and investigation activities in the construction sector to detect and deal with violations as soon as they occur, thereby minimizing high-profile violations that may cause public concern.

Other priorities for the department are to intensify the restructuring of the organizational apparatus towards efficiency and simplicity; tighten discipline and regulations, enhance the responsibility of leadership, review administrative procedures for simplification, reduction of time, and increase transparency; reinforce the application of information technology and digital transformation in governance and management.

“Specific measures should be taken to achieve the target of providing safe water to 95% of rural residents and achieving a 40% urban wastewater treatment rate, as these are challenging goals,” said Tuan.

Additionally, the Department of Construction must also focus on the renovation of old apartment buildings; and complete the investment strategy for key social housing projects to organize tenders to select 1-2 project investors in 2024.

At the conference, the Vice Director of Hanoi’s Department of Construction Mac Dinh Minh informed that in 2023, the urban population's access to clean water reached 100%, while the rural population's access to clean water achieved 90%, in line with the set plan. Additionally, the urban wastewater treatment rate was 30.9%, exceeding the planned target of 28.8%.

Urban refurbishment efforts, such as the comprehensive redevelopment of parks and gardens in all districts, have yielded positive outcomes.

The department has recommended that the city’s leaders approve investment plans to renovate and upgrade three parks: Bach Thao, Thong Nhat, and Thu Le.

“The creation of open spaces in Thong Nhat Park, coupled with a pedestrian street on Tran Nhan Tong Street and the expansion of other pedestrian zones, contributes to the improvement of the urban environment for the residents of the capital and has received widespread approval,” Minh said.

Overview of the meeting.

Minh added that the city has completed the execution of two projects to renovate old residential buildings, while efforts continue to push forward the implementation of nine similar projects.

This year, the department is concentrating on formulating and submitting for approval the investment principles for five social housing projects in Dong Anh, Gia Lam, Thanh Tri, and Thuong Tin.

Regarding the preservation and renovation of pre-1954 villas and architectural structures, Minh expected 36 villas and 15 other architectural structures to be preserved and renovated by the end of 2025, exceeding the planned targets of 20 villas and 10 architectural structures set by the Program No.03-CTr/TU of the Hanoi Party Committee.

A social housing project in Hanoi's suburban areas.

"In particular, in 2023, the city completed approximately 2.55 million square meters of housing construction, comprising around 12,850 units, exceeding the 2023 plan by about 0.055 million square meters (102%). The average housing area per capita has reached 28.6 square meters, surpassing the planned target of 28.2 square meters," stated Minh.

Commending the achievements of the Hanoi Department of Construction in 2023, especially in urban technical infrastructure management and housing development, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh called for the Hanoi Department of Construction to actively collaborate with the Ministry of Construction in refining the guidelines for the two draft laws on Housing and Real Estate Business.

“The Department should continue to ensure greater efficiency in housing development, especially in resolving difficulties for real estate projects and housing in the area," Sinh said. He suggested that the Department push forward 28 social housing projects to fulfill the government's target of completing 130,000 social housing units this year.