On October 28, a delegation from Vietnam's Ministry of Construction, led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Sinh, met with the People's Committee of Can Tho to discuss progress on social and rental housing projects.
According to Can Tho's Department of Construction, the city has been assigned a target of completing 16,900 social housing units by 2030.
The 2026–2030 period includes 13,250 units: 11,713 social housing units and 1,537 rental units. The target for 2026 alone is 3,000 units.
Can Tho has so far completed 724 units under the 2026 target, reaching 24.13% of the annual plan. In total, the city has completed 4,537 units, or 26.8% of its target through 2030.
To increase supply, the city approved investment policies and assigned developers to six new projects with a combined capacity of 7,709 units. Three projects have started construction, two are expected to break ground in November, and one is undergoing site clearance.
For rental housing, the city agreed to assign the Development Investment Fund as the investor for a project of about 1,000 units on Nguyen Van Cu Street.
Obstacles involving procedures, capital and land
According to the Can Tho People's Committee, project progress has been slowed by lengthy land procedures and compensation work. Investment costs have risen while profits remain limited, making investors cautious. Demand for social housing is concentrated mainly in the city centre and areas with growing industry and services, making it harder to attract investment elsewhere.
Several areas in the former Hau Giang and Soc Trang provinces have announced projects repeatedly but have not found developers. Although the public land fund became relatively large after the merger, many sites are far from concentrated residential areas, while new industrial zones have not yet generated enough housing demand.
Le Cong Ly, standing vice chairman of the Can Tho People's Committee, said the city's housing demand is focused on social housing and mid-priced high-rise commercial housing.
He ordered a review of all projects to identify the reasons for delays and the responsibility of each unit. Projects facing legitimate obstacles should continue receiving assistance, while projects without an appropriate reason or sufficient capacity should be considered for recovery in accordance with regulations.
"If a procedure is delayed at a department, that department must take responsibility," Le Cong Ly stressed.
Investors also proposed increasing preferential funding for social housing and helping residents obtain loans to buy homes.
A representative of the Ministry of Construction delegation said that, in addition to funding through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, residents and businesses can access a preferential credit package worth VND 120 trillion at commercial banks to build or buy social housing.
Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Tung An, deputy director of the Can Tho police, said housing purchase applications from police officers exceeded 4,000 units, while projects under development currently provide slightly more than 2,000 units. The city police leadership proposed a site for a new project on Tran Van Kheo Street to increase supply.
Construction Ministry demands tangible progress
Because some projects will not be able to complete foundation acceptance by December 31, 2026, the Can Tho People's Committee asked to extend the deadline for the 2026 target to the end of the first quarter of 2027. The city said the change would not alter the overall target for the period through 2030.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Sinh praised Can Tho's efforts to develop social and rental housing and plan land for the armed forces and industrial workers.
However, the deputy minister asked the city to assess demand accurately in each area to avoid waste and to set a specific completion schedule for each project, identifying the causes of delays and those responsible. Delayed projects should be reviewed and their plans adjusted as appropriate.
Developers must focus financial, human and equipment resources on construction quality and progress, create housing for residents sooner, and avoid registering projects that are then slow to implement.
The delegation noted Can Tho's request for consolidation and a report to the government for consideration.
Sources: Dân Trí
