Ho Chi Minh City has established 194 safe rental housing models for women and children across 128 communes and wards. The initiative was discussed at a conference hosted by the city Women’s Union on October 30.
The conference was attended in person and online by representatives from wards, communes and special administrative zones. Participants presented effective practices, discussed problems and outlined plans for rental housing safety through 2030.
Five safety criteria
Rapid urbanisation has brought millions of migrant workers to the city and increased pressure on local authorities to maintain public order, fire safety and social protection in densely populated rental areas.
The city Women’s Union launched the safe rental housing programme with local authorities, police forces and property owners.
The complexes are assessed against five criteria: security and order, fire prevention, protection for women and children, resident self-management, and green and civilised living conditions.
Participating complexes install security cameras and fire extinguishers, and display internal rules and emergency hotline numbers. They also establish self-managed security teams and volunteer firefighting units.
In Linh Xuan Ward, local police and the ward Women’s Union recently established a self-management team at a lodging facility on Street 7. The team combines physical safety measures with legal awareness sessions on human trafficking and narcotics prevention, led by PC01 officers of the city Police.
The programme also includes health check-ups, legal consultations and educational support for children. Vũ Thị Châu, permanent vice chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and chairwoman of the Women’s Union of Hòa Bình Ward, said some rental sites had added cultural spaces and green recreational areas.
Safety criteria for women and children and inter-family fire safety rules have been added to existing drug-free lodging complexes. Châu said: “We are expanding recreational spaces and cultural hubs within rental units so workers can enrich their knowledge and build connected communities.”
A focus on quality
Conference participants said the programme had helped reduce crime risks and domestic violence, but also pointed to problems. Some self-managed teams operate only formally, post-recognition inspections are irregular, emergency responses can be slow, and coordination between agencies varies by district.
The city Women’s Union called for a focus on quality and compliance with standards rather than simply increasing the number of complexes. Local chapters were instructed to carry out regular monitoring, check compliance and prevent quality from falling after formal recognition.
Nguyễn Tấn Lực, permanent deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Tân Thới Hiệp Ward, said local authorities regularly held legal counselling sessions for residents and encouraged landlords to maintain or reduce rents for people facing financial difficulties. “Once recognised, a facility must sustain its performance so the effort does not remain short-lived,” he said.
Plans through 2030
Women’s Union chapters in Bình Thới, Bình Tiên and Phú An regularly provide essential goods, financial aid and educational support to disadvantaged families living in rental housing.
Huỳnh Thị Thúy Phương, vice chairwoman of the HCMC Women’s Union, said the city coordinates resources to support workers in difficult circumstances. She said landlords were encouraged to reduce rents and subsidise utility costs, while local chapters helped sick children and families in need.
By 2030, the city plans to build at least 50 fully standardised safe complexes and expand practices that have proved effective locally.
Sources: Viet Nam News
